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The Adventures of Polly and 
Gilbert in Washington, D. C. 



B Pluribus Unum 



The Adventures of Polly and 
Gilbert in Washington, D. C. 



BY 



LYDIA WALDO LOCKLING 

AUTHOR OF "the GOOD LITTLE PIGGIE," "TROUBLE IN THE 

BARN-YARD," **BILL1E O. POSSUM SAVES THE 

AMERICAN EAGLE,'* ETC, ETC. 



ILLUSTRATED 



NEW YORK 

THE COSMOPOLITAN PRES3 

1912 






Copyright, 1912, by 
The Cosmopolitan Press 



\V 



^^ 



?? 



SCI.A31.2031: 



CONTENTS 

CHAPTER PAGE 

I. The Journey, . . . . , 11 

II. Gilbert Begins Sight-Seeing 19 

III. A Climb to the Dome of the United States 

Capitol 33 

IV. A Trip to Mount Vernon, 43 

V. A Stop in Alexandria, 57 

VI. Polly Gets Into Trouble, 65 

VII. Gilbert Gets Acquainted With the President, 77 

VIII. From the Top of the Washington Monument, 84 

IX. Arlington 91 

X. A Scare in Anacostia, 97 

XI. In the Navy Yard and Uncle Sam's Money 

Factory 105 

XII. A Day at United States Scldiers' Home, . 113 

XIII. The Special Delivery Letter 120 

XIV. Good-Bye, 124 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 

FACING PAGE 

"The Capitol," snowy white and majestic . Frontispiece *' 

The arrival 20 t^ 

"Mount Vernon," the home of Washington ... 48 "^ 
Lost at Mount Vernon— "Do you believe in ghosts, Gil?" 56 ^ 
The "White House," dignified and grand in its stately 

simplicity 70 

"0, Papa," she sobbed in a frightened voice, "Polly's 

arrested!" 76 

"Arlington" — once the home of Robert E. Lee . . 92 
Picnicing in the "United States Soldiers' Home 

Grounds" 116 - 

A visit to Zoological Park 124 ^ 

The home of Frances Scott Key 126 



PREFACE 

In writing this book it has been the endeavor 
of the author to please as well as instruct 
the youthful mind; therefore all historical in- 
formation it contains is authentic, and has been 
written in story form to meet the end of both 
entertainment and instruction. It is hoped 
that every parent interested in child advance- 
ment will appreciate the effort on the part of 
the writer. 

Lydia Waldo Lockling. 



THE ADVENTURES OF POLLY AND 
GILBERT IN WASHINGTON, D. C. 



CHAPTER I 

THE JOURNEY 



He was a heart-sick little boy with blue eyes, 
and lips that tried hard not to tremble as he 
gazed from a car window at the jumbled 
mass of flowers, telegraph poles, trees, and 
water. 

He was traveling to Washington, D. C, as 
fast as the train would carry him. He had al- 
ways hoped, and expected, to take the trip, but 
never for an instant thought it was going to 
come in this way. In his joyful anticipation of 
a visit to his Washington relatives Gilbert 
Thompson had always included his father and 
mother, because in all the nine years of his 
life he had never spent a single night from 
them. Now he was journeying alone to the 
great city while his parents were speeding in 
the opposite direction to a resort where, with 
perfect freedom from even the care of her boy, 
the doctor had assured Mr. Thompson his wife 
would recover her health, which had been sadly 
impaired by a severe nervous attack. 



12 POLLY AND GILBEET 

''I promised to be brave, so I must," mut- 
tered the little fellow between his clencned 
teeth. He rubbed his eyes with the corner of 
his handkerchief, and leaned out of the car 
window, for the train had stopped with a jerk. 

It was almost dark, but the boy could see 
people thronging about the great platform out- 
side, bidding farewells or welcoming friends. 
He wondered what the station was. From what 
he had heard he thought it must be Baltimore, 
but was just going to inquire of the conductor, 
when 

**Is this seat taken, young manT' asked a 
voice behind him. 

Gilbert turned to find a gentleman and little 
girl standing in the aisle. 

*^No, sir," he replied, hastily removing his 
luggage, a lunch-box, and dress suit case from 
the seat in front of him. 

** Traveling from a distance?" inquired the 
gentleman, after he and the child had seated 
themselves facing the lad. 

**IVe come from York State," answered our 
friend, *^and have been on the train since nine 
o'clock this morning." 

''My!" ejaculated the girl, ''and all by your- 
self ! Aren 't you lonely ? * ' 

Gilbert nodded. 

"Kinder," he admitted. "How long before 
we reach Washington?" 

"We are due there at nine o'clock." The 



THE JOURNEY 13 

gentleman looked at his watch as he spoke. 
** You will be home in about an hour and twenty 
minutes/* he said. 

**I am not going home," replied the boy. 

He then told his new-found friends about his 
delicate mother being ordered away by her phy- 
sician, and how he was on his wav to the Capi- 
tal City to spend the time with relatives. 

** Besides granda I have an aunt and three 
cousins living there," he said. *^I have never 
seen Walter, but Aunt Alice, with Polly and 
baby Ned, spent a summer in my home. They 
were comina: again last year, but Uncle Charles 
died, and that upset everything. Aunt Alice 
got a position in the United States Treasury 
Department, and granda, who had always made 
her home with us, went on to Washington to be 
with her and care for the children." 

The little group was soon laughing and chat- 
ting merrily. Gilbert found that the gentleman 
was Dr. Rodkin, and the girl his daughter Lil- 
lian. They were returning to their home in 
Washington from an afternoon spent in Balti- 
more. 

*'I think you are a very brave boy." de- 
clared Lillian. ^*I am sure I would cry my 
eyes 'most out if anyone should tell me that T 
had to live even a few days without my mamma 
and papa, let alone travel by myself to a 
strange city." 

**That is because you are a girl," explained 



14 POLLY AND GILBEET 

Gilbert; then he felt his cheeks burn, for he 
remembered the tears he had shed only a short 
while before. 

'*Do you think it very cowardly in a boy to 
cry when he leaves home for the first time?" 
he asked the doctor. 

**No, lad, most assuredly T do not. A child, 
either boy or p^irl, would be both heartless and 
unnatural who did not shed a few tears when 
oblisred to lenve home nnd loved ones. T s^o 
each year to Fndand to see my dear old father 
and mother, and. let me tell you a secret,'' — 
the doctor drew the boy to him and put his lips 
close to his ear — ^*T crv like a baby when I have 
to leave them/' he confessed. 

The conversation was here interrupted by a 
pro^on9:ed ''toot! toot!'' 

Gilbert turned eagerly. 

**It is only a crossing," tlie doctor informed 
him; *'but look sharp and you will soon see the 
city's lights." 

**Papa, don't you think Paul would like to 
meet Gilbert?" asked Lillie. 

''Yes, dear," replied her father. ''Here is 
my card, Gilbert. You must come to see us; 
and when Lillie 's brother returns from his va- 
cation I hor)e you and he will be fast friends." 

Gilbert thanked them both, and said as soon 
as Polly or Walter could show him the way he 
would call. 

"But," he added, "you know I am to remain 



THE JOURNEY 15 

some time. Maybe we will attend the same 
school, and see each other every day.'' 

*'Tliat shows how little you know about 
Washington, ' ' said Lillie. * * Where you say 
your auntie lives is in the North East section 
of the city, and my home is North West — miles 
and miles from where you will be. I do not 
know just how many, but am sure there are at 
least a dozen schools between the two places. 
The city is divided into school districts, and 
we children are sent to the nearest one. I at- 
tend Franklin, which has a beautiful square by 
the same name in front of it. Do you know, 
papa says that in some cities you are not al- 
lowed to ran on the grass of the public reser- 
vations, but here you are, and oh, Gilbert, the 
United States Marine Band plays every Wed- 
nesday evening during the summer in the Capi- 
tol grounds! You must hear it. It is consid- 
ered the finest band in the country. It belongs 
to Uncle Sam, you know, and everything that 
he owns is first class.'' 

**I do not suppose Gilbert is acquainted with 
his * Uncle Sam' yet," interrupted the doctor. 

But the boy surprised him. 

**It is only a slang name for our United 
States Government," he announced. 

**Right! and girls should never use slang, 
should they?" laughed the doctor. 

Gilbert blushed at the question. 

*'I do not believe it is slangy slang," he fal- 



16 POLLY AND GILBERT 

tered, **but just a name which shows us that we 
belong to one another, and that the people have 
a voice in making the laws of the country.*' 

*'But/' exclaimed Lillie, *'I thought Con- 
gress made the laws, papa.'' 

*^So it does, dear, but you must remember 
that Congress is simply the mouthpiece of the 
people, who elect its members, and send them 
in a body to the Capital City to transact all 
national affairs. You lake up history next year, 
Lil, and will learn that Congress is composed 
of two houses, the Senate and House of Repre- 
sentatives. The States are divided into con- 
gressional districts, just as you explained to 
Gilbert the city is divided into school districts. 
The people of each district send a man to Con- 
gress to represent them and their wishes, and 
to make the laws accordingly. When a desire 
of the people is first brought before Congress, 
it is introduced in one House, and called * pro- 
posing a bill.' If it passes the first House it 
is then carried to the other ; from there it finds 
its way to the ^ White House,' where the Presi- 
dent either signs it, and it becomes a law, or 
vetoes it, and it is killed. Now, Gilbert," he 
asked, turning to the boy, **did I get it all 
straight?" 

**Yes, sir, only you forgot to say that the 
Senators are elected by the State Legislature; 
but as their members are elected by the people, 
I suppose it amounts to about the same thing. ' ' 



THE JOURNEY 17 

Dr. Eodldn looked at the small-sized boy in 
astonishment. 

**Lad/' he said, ^^yon surprise me. The idea 
of a nine-year-old boy understanding such 
things. Who has been your teacher T' 

''Professor Paul Teaiman, sir. He was grad- 
uated from Yale, and opened a private school 
in our State because he wasn't very strong and 
the climate there agreed with him.'^ 

**Look! look!'* cried Lillie; ^' there are the 
city lights.*' 

Just then another prolonged *^t-o-o-t!" 
sounded, and Gilbert knew that his journey was 
nearing its end, and soon he would be in the 
Capital City of the United States. 

**What is that?" he asked, pointing to a tall 
square building with bluish-green lights twink- 
ling from every window. 

*'The Government Printing Office," replied 
the doctor. **The night hands are at work. In 
busy seasons there are three forces employed — 
day, afternoon, and night. You must visit it, 
my boy. It is said to be the largest printery in 
the world. Now, as wo have reached our desti- 
nation, we must say good-night, and remember 
Lil and I both will expect a call from you be- 
fore long." 

The three shook hands, and Gilbert passed 
out to wait beside the conductor, in whose care 
he had been placed, until that official had as- 
sisted the passengers off the train, then hurry 



18 POLLY AND GILBERT 

with him up the long flight of stairs which led 
to the great, new Union Station. 

**Is it too late for girls to be up in Washing- 
ton?'' the boy inquired. 

The conductor laughed. 

**I guess not, sonny,'' he replied. ^* There's 
no * curfew' law in this city, so I reckon you will 
find the children out in full force on their roller 
skates." 

**0h, I did not mean that. I thought if it 
was not too late my cousin Polly might be here 
to meet me — and she is I " cried the boy, for at 
that moment he caught a glimpse of a dimpled 
little face peeping at him through the bars that 
divide the tracks from the rest of the station. 



CHAPTER II 

GILBERT BEGINS SIGHT-SEEING 

**I knew you the moment I spied you,'' cried 
Polly, dancing about her cousin as soon as he 
had wedged his way through one of the big iron 
gates. ''Walter did not " 

*'0f course not. How could I when I have 
never seen him before?" spoke up a big boy, 
grasping Gilbert by the hand. ''You look tired 
to death, coz. Give me your check, and you and 
sis wait here until I have seen about your 
trunk. ' ' 

As soon as Walter was out of sight Polly 
caught her cousin by the arm. 

"Look at that poor colored girl over there," 
she whispered. "She has been hunting for her 
umbrella for the past half hour. Said she just 
laid it down for about a minute, and when she 
turned to get it it was gone. Isn't it too bad?" 

Gilbert gazed at the sorrowful-looking ne- 
gress Polly pointed out. Her round, black 
face shone in contrast to her white hat, with its 
wreath of pink roses and enormous yellow bow. 
She wore a red and white striped lawn dress, 

19 



20 POLLY AND GILBEET 

and a black ribbon, tied in a knot with stream- 
ers, dangled from one sleeve. 

*' That black bow means she is in mourning 
for somebody," explained Polly. 

**Poor creature!*' 

The boy stooped and unfastened bis own 
handsome umbrella from his suit case, then 
hurried over with it to where the girl stood. 

''Take this,'' he said. ''I can buy another 
to-morrow." 

''Tank yo', tank yo', honey," stuttered the 
astonishf^d darkey. "I gwina hab some buddy 
'rested ef T cotch de posson what stole dat bran 
neew 'brella ob mine. Deed I is. You don' 
happen t' hab a spare bite o' lunch do you, 
darlin'? 'Cause I specks t' be pow'ful hongry 
'fore I gets 'way f 'um dis place, deed I does," 
— here the negress rolled her eyes and looked 
scared — *'and I'll tell you de reason why. I 
done miss ma train lookin' fur dat 'brella, an' 
dere ain gwina be no odder agoin' ma way 'fore 
three 'clock in de mawnin'." 

At this junction Walter reappeared and, 
much to Gilbert's chagrin, insisted that the um- 
brella be returned to its former owner. The 
girl seemed disappointed, but smiled gratefully 
when the big boy handed her a quarter with 
which to buy supper, and the little fellow 
slipped a box of chocolate creams in her hand. 

"You must not allow your sympathy to get 
the better of your judgment," said Walter, as 



SIGHT-SEEING BEGINS 21 

the two made their way back to Polly. **You 
will not need your umbrella to-night, but may 
to-morrow. We can never tell anything about 
Washington weather — it is sunshine one hour 
and maybe rain the next. Wonder what ails 
sisT' he broke off, for Polly stood just ahead 
of them, gazing about her in apparent bewilder- 
ment. 

*'I was only thinking,'' explained the little 
girl a few moments later, *4iow easy it would 
be to get lost here. Isn't it immense, Gil!" 

Gilbert nodded. 

*'It is the biggest place I have ever been in/' 
he admitted. 

*'This and the immense affair just completed 
in New York City are considered two of the 
largest and handsomest railroad stations in 
the world," Walter informed the children. 
**Have either of you any idea how many people 
this concourse will accommodate?" he asked. 

Polly and Gilbert looked at the vast sijace 
all around them. 

** About five hundred, I should say," said the 
girl. 

**More like five thousand!" Gilbert cor- 
rected. 

WaHer laughed. 

** Forty-five thousand," he said. ''More 
than the entire United States Army. We will 
come down some day when you are not so tired, 
Gil, and look over the building. The beautiful 



22 POLLY AND GILBERT 

white granite of wliicli it is built came all the 
way from Bethel, Vermont.'' 

As the trio left the station Gilbert noticed 
two great white buildmgs towering up in front 
of him. 

**What are theyT' he inquired. 

**The first is the Senate Committee rooms; 
the other is the Capitol,'' Polly answered. 
** Walter is a page in the House of Eepresen- 
tatives when Congress is in session. He is paid 
seventy-five dollars a month," she said, look- 
ing with pride at her big brother. 

'*I intend to make more than that," declared 
Walter, **when I am old enough to take the 
regular civil service examination." 

**What do you mean by that?" asked Gil- 
bert. 

**An examination which all Government em- 
ployes must pass in order to hold a permanent 
clerkship." 

*'I was hoping you could show me around 
town some before school commences." 

**0h, I can. CongresG does not convene un- 
til the first Monday in December, and you see 
that leaves us lots of time." 

The three took a car, which soon landed them 
home where grandma, Aunt Alice, and chubby 
little five-year-old cousin Ned greeted them at 
the door. 

Oh, how glad they all were to see the visitor, 
and what a fuss they did make over the Weary 



SIGHT-SEEING BEGINS 23 

little traveler ; but best of all, how tight grand- 
ma held him, and how tenderly she kissed the 
trembling lips as the boy clnng to her neck, 
sobbms: at last for mother and dad. 

*' There now, love,'' soothed the dear old lady 
a few minutes later, ** drink this glass of milk 
Aunt Alice has for you, and run off to bed, for 
'granda' knows her boy is worn out from his 
lonsr day's trip." 

When Gilbert awoke next morning the sun 
was shining brightly, and someone moving 
softly about the room. At first the boy forgot 
he was not in his own little bed back in New 
York; then the voice of grandma aroused him, 
and he remembered all that had happened the 
day before. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. 

*'Mercy, granda!" he gasped, **why didn't 
you call me? It must be near noon." 

'*No, no," rer)lied tho old lady. ^*It is but 
a few minutes after eight. Aunt Alice has nnst 
gone to office. You slip into your clothes while 
I tell Peggie to cook your waffles." 

Gilbert jumped out of bed, and was soon at 
the table, enjoying his breakfast as only a 
hunsfry boy can, for he had eaten but scantily 
on his journey of the previous day. 

The children did no sight-seeing that day, as 
it was decided wiser to allow the little visitor 
time to rest and get over the fatigue of his 
journey, but the next morning, bright and 
early, they made ready to start out. Ned 



24 POLLY AND GILBEET 

wanted to go, too, and set up a wail when 
lie found lie could not, but grandma soon 
pacified him by a promise of some Banbury 
tarts. 

** Where are we going first T' inquired Gil- 
bert. 

**To the Capitol, I suppose, but I would 
rather go out to the Zoo and see the great dia- 
mond rattler that bit its keeper,'' was Polly's 
reply. 

**I should think you would be afraid," said 
Gilbert. 

"The very idea of Polly Pae being afraid of 
anything," chuckled Walter. "No, not even 
of a diamond rattlesnake, the most poisonous 
serpent of North iVmerica." 

"Well, I should rather see the men who re- 
lieved poor Mr. Pose of his agony — Dr. Carr, 
and Raymond L. Ditmars, the curator of rep- 
tiles in the New York Zoo," put in grandma. 
"He it was who sent the anti-venomous serum, 
which could be found nowhere else, just in time 
to save the sufferer. Listen!" The old lady 
held up her fino^er, and counted as the clock 
struck nine, "You little folks had better be 
off," she said. 

When the children reached First and East 
Capitol streets Gilbert, taught as he was by a 
learned and patriotic tutor to appreciate the 
beauty and wonders of his own country, gazed 
spell-bound at the grandeur about him. To the 



SIGHT-SEEING BEGINS 25 

left, dazzling white, its finial — wliich represents 
the torch of science ever burning — solid gold 
glistening in the morning sunlight was the 
Congressional Library, while in front, sur- 
rounded by magnificent grounds extending two 
blocks on either side, stood the Capitol, snowy 
white, and majestic in its proportions and 
beauty of design. 

** Isn't it grand!" exclaimed, Gilbert, scarce- 
ly above a whisper. ''Is this the front T^ 

*'It was intended to be,'' explained Walter, 
^'because when President Washington laid the 
corner-stone of the main building, September 
18, 1793, it was thought that the city would 
grow east; but land was sold so much cheaper 
in the other direction that our town built that 
way. The building now has two fronts, one 
east and the other west. Some people think 
the opposite approach the handsomer, but I 
don't, for when you have climbed to the upper 
court, — it has two, — it is almost like playing 
blind man's buff to find the door. And when 
you suddenly do come upon it, it is such a poor 
affair that you are afraid you have made a mis- 
take. It is nothing like this." 

While the boy was talking the trio climbed 
the broad stone steps, and at his last remark 
they stood before Boger's famous bronze door 
of the rotunda, which is beautifully ornamented 
with raised carvings illustrating the nine most 
important events in the history of Columbus. 



26 POLLY AND GILBERT 

*'I know about that,'^ cried Gilbert, pointing 
to one of the pictures. ''It's Columbus before 
Ferdinand and Isabella, and there he is start- 
ing on his first voyage. But what is the next 
oner' 

''Let me see,'' Walter said. "I think I can 
tell you. We pages have studied them all out." 

To the best of his ability the boy explained 
the wonderful lesson taught in bronze of the 
fifteenth century. Next they went inside the 
great rotunda and examined the eight historic 
paintings which adorn its walls. Polly liked 
best the bar>tism of the Indian maiden, Poca- 
hontas, but Walter and Gilbert linsrered over the 
si owning of the Declaration of Independence. 
The painting is the work of John Trumbull of 
Connecticut, an aid-de-camr) of General Wa-^h- 
insrton, in the g-reat Eevolutionary War. The 
scene is the hall of the Continental Congress. 
The President of the Congress. John Hancock, 
sits at a table, and his committee, Thomas Jef- 
ferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, 
Ro<?'er Shf^rman. and Eobert L. Livingston, 
stand in front of him. 

"Isn't it all splendid? It would most turn 
a fellow's head to try ^o see evervthin<? in this 
place in one trip. I am coming often," Gilbert 
declared. 

Just then the droning voice of a guide, who 
with his party of tourists had paused in the 
center of the room, reached his ear. 



SIGHT-SEEING BEGINS 27 

"By looking up you will see, at a height of 
one hundred and eighty feet above the floor, 
what is known as tiie 'rotunda canopy.' It 
overhangs the dome, is sixty-five feet in 
diameter, and allows a space of four thousand 
six hundred and forty square feet for the alle- 
gorical fresco by hrumidi. This superb piece 
of workmanship may be viewed to better ad- 
vantage from the gallery just beneath it, which 
is reached by the dome stairway . The alle- 
gory is of the Apotheosis of Washington. He 
is seated in the center, with supernal beings at- 
tending him. Freedom sits on his right, Vic- 
tory on his left, and with their banner in- 
scribed 'E Pluribus fJmim' about him float 
aerial figures representing The Thirteen Origi- 
nal States. An allegory of the Revolution en- 
circles the base of the canopy. Directly be- 
low Washington is represented: The Fall of 
Tyranny ; to the right come in succession, Agri- 
culture, Mechanics, Commerce, Marine, and 
Arts and Science.'' 

**I heard mamma say that the artist fell just 
before he put the finishing touches to his 
work," whispered Polly in her cousin's ear, 
'*and no one has ever been found since who 
could fill his place." 

The children followed the guide out upon the 
rotunda portico. 

**This," he explained, ''is where a most im- 
pressive ceremony takes place. It is the scene 



28 POLLY AND GILBEET 

of the Presidential inaugurations. The newly 
made President and the outgoing President 
ride side by side from the Executive Mansion 
to the Capitol The oath of office is taken by 
the Vice President in the Senate Chamber when 
he and those wiio participate in the ceremony 
turn to this portico and to the grand stand 
which has been erected for the occasion. There 
are gathered the Chief Justice and his asso- 
ciates, solemn and dignified in their robes of 
office, members of the diplomatic corps, officers 
of the army and navy, congressmen, and many 
other dignitaries of the land; while below in 
the grounds the spectators gather by the thous- 
ands from all over the United States to hear 
the new President's address and the Chief 
Justice administer the oath of office: 'I do 
solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute 
the office of President of the United States, and 
will to the best of my ability preserve, protect, 
and defend the Constitution of the United 
States.' The President is then driven in an 
open carriage back up Pennsylvania Avenue 
amid the shouts of the peo])le, who throng the 
street all the way to the AYhite House, where 
he reviews the vast procession of troops and 
organizations that assemble from all over the 
country.'' 

Next the party passed into Statuary Hall. 

*^Note the domed ceiling," sang out the 
guide. **It is decorated after the manner of 



SIGHT-SEEING BEGINS 29 

the Eoman Pantheon, is lighted by a cupola, 
and is considered one of the handsomest rooms 
in the Capitol. The clock above the door lead- 
ing- from the rotnnda is Franzoni^s historical 
clock; it is known as ^History in the Car of 
Time.' '' 

Gilbert suddenly spied the statue of Frances 
Elizabeth Willard. Remembering his mother's 
request that he be sure to look for it, he stepped 
closer, in order to read its inscription. 

**Tliat," said the guide, *'is the founder of 
the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, and 
is the first and only statue to a woman to be 
given a place in Statuary Hall. The statues 
and busts you see about the room have been 
contributed by various States, each State being 
allowed the privile2:e of placing two here." 

*^My!" ejaculated the little boy to his cousin, 
**I wish I could write as fast as that man talks." 

*^You would have to be an expert to do that," 
replied Walter. ^^Come on, let's strike out by 
ourselves. We can't understand half he says, 
anyway; besides, he will be taking up his collec- 
tion presently, and I have only a quarter. All 
the pay these Capitol guides get is just what 
the sight-seers choose to give them. In the 
Treasury Department they receive a regular 
salary, and are not allowed to take tips." 

The children continued along the main hall 
until they suddenly came upon a swinging door 
directly in front of them. 



30 POLLY AND GILBERT 

''This," said Walter, with pride, *'is the 
House of Representatives, and where your 
humble servant'' — bowing and touching himself 
— *' holds fortli during the sessions of Congress, 
which is from the fir^t Monday in December 
until noon of the fourth day of March for the 
short session; sometimes the work is not fin- 
ished up by twelve o'clock, and as the law com- 
pels adjournment at that hour somebody has to 
turn the hands of the clock back. It is different 
with the long session. We never know when 
we are going to get away then ; sometimes it is 
not until May, or even longer." 

Gilbert, followed by the others, stepped into 
the great room and looked around. There were 
rows and rows of dark desks and chairs stretch- 
ing around the room, forming a semicircle 
about another desk of beautiful white marble, 
which stood upon a platform in the center of 
the south side. 

*^It looks some like a church, doesn't it?" 
said Polly. 

Walter caught himself in the midst of a 
laugh. 

'^My!" he exclaimed, *'I wish it wasn't so 
empty. Makes me feel rather chilly after see- 
ing so much business and life in here. Do you 
notice how the place is lighted?" 

Gilbert looked around. There seemed to be 
plenty of doors opening out into corridors, but 
no windows. 



SIGHT-SEEING BEGINS 31 

**The light comes from above," explained his 
cousin. *'The ceiling is made of glass panels 
set in a framework of iron, and the paintings 
you see are the arms of the different States. 
The galleries are reached from the floor above, 
and are intended for visitors; no one, except 
on business, is ever allowed on the House floor 
during the session of Congress." 

Before leaving the room the children exam- 
ined its handsome paintings. 

*^That one," said Walter, pausing before a 
fresco by Brumidi, *' Washington Declining 
Overtures From Cornwallis," '4s where the 
British wanted to quit fighting for a couple of 
days, but our general said 'nix.' Those life- 
sized portraits of Washington and Lafayette 
on either side of the Speaker's desk were given 
to us by Lafayette daring his last visit to the 
United States." 

*'I think he was a very great man," declared 
Gilbert, as he gazed at the handsome French- 
man's classic features and erect figure. ''I 
learned about him last year at school. Wasn't 
it splendid of him not only to come over to 
our country and fight for us all during the 
Eevolution, but to spend so much of his fortune 
as well?" 

**Yes," assented Walter, *'and I believe we 
Americans all appreciate what he did for us. 
One of Washington's handsomest squares, just 
opposite the Executive Mansion, is named for 



32 POLLY AND GILBEET 

him; and there is a statue of him, and the four 
other Frenchmen, Ecchambeau, Duportail, 
D'Estaing, and De Grasse, who helped us so 
much in our fight for freedom, at the southeast 
entrance of the park. 

^'Corne on, now, I will show you the Senate 
Chamber. It is very much like the House of 
Eepresentatives, only smaller.'' 

*^0h, Walter," cried Polly, *^tell Gil about 
the tobacco scare." 



CHAPTER III 



A CLIMB TO THE DOME OF THE UNITED STATES 
CAPITOL 

Walter's face flushed. He looked warningly 
at his sister, and was tnankf iil to notice that she 
had become suddenly interested in something 
she had found in one of the desks. 

'^ What does this mean?'' she asked, holding 
out a dainty visiting card to her brother. 

Walter took it and read, "Miss Elsie Brod, 
Elkins, West Virginia. Young and beautiful. 
Finder please write." 

"It means," said the boy, "that some girl, or 
rather young lady visitor, has left her card, and 
invites the first man who finds it to reply to 
the address given." 

' ' The fresh thing ! ' ' sniffed Polly. 

"Oh, I don't know," Walter laughed. "I 
once heard a Congressman tell how his cousin 
got his wife that way. A lady addressed an 
envelope and, after placing a lock of hair in it, 
left it in one of these desks. The gentleman 
who found it fell so in love with the golden ring- 
let that he wrote to the lady and finally married 

33 



34 POLLY AND GILBERT 

her; but, strange to say, when he met her for 
the hryt time lie I'aiiea to notice tnat ner liair 
was aimosc oiacK, msLead oi goiden/' 

*'What turned it darkT' asked Gilbert. 

*'It had always beea so. The biond loek had 
been cut from her niece's doll. Now i will show 
you what the Capitol's north wing contains," 
Waiter ended witii a llourish, glad in his heart 
that the other subject had been forgotten. 

*'But," cried iroUy, ''you have not told Gil 
about the tobacco yet." 

Her brother flopped into a chair. 

*'8o I haven't," he admitted, "and as you 
seem determined that i shall, here goes for bet- 
ter or worse. It may save my cousin a like 
experience some day. Who knows! Come, sit 
close to me. I must tell my tale in whispers, 
so that no one else in the room will hear. It is 
terrible, terrible, terrible!" 

The speaker shook his head solemnly. 

Polly looked important. 

' ' I went for the doctor, ' ' she announced. 

**One afternoon,'* began Walter, "just after 
Congress had convened, tnere didn't seem to be 
much call for us pages, so a few of us slipped 
off to the lunch-room. T had not been here 
more than two weeks, and was very anxious not 
to appear green before the other boys. We 
each bought a sandwich and a glass of ginger 
ale. It tasted so good we wanted more, but one 
of the fellows said we 'd better hurry back to the 



THE CAPITOL'S DOME 35 

floor before we were >!iissed. Just outside, in 
the Honse corridor, this same boy — I have for- 
gotten his name; he hiisn't been here since that 
session, and that was three years ago — pulled 
a plug of tobacco out of his pocket, and to my 
horror began cutting it up in little chunks and 
passinoj it to the rest of us. When my piece 
came to me T didn't have the courage to say I 
had never chewed any of the stuff in my life, so 
I did just what the others had done — put it in my 
month. Tt tasted vile, and stung my tongue so 
I could hardly close my lips. I was just wonder- 
ing how I could spit it out without the fellows 
seeing me do it, when suddenly someone slapped 
me on the shoulder and there 1 stood face to 
face with th^ Congressman who had had me ap- 
pointed. ^ITere, Walter,' he exclaimed, *you 
are just the boy for whom I am looking. Can 

you take a long message over to Senator C , 

or had T best write itf 

**I felt my face turning red clear up to the 
roots of my hair. What was T going to do? His 
question called for an answer. I couldn't say a 
word with the tobacco in my mouth, and was 
certainly not going to spit it out before him. 
There was only one thing left, I must swallow 
it, — which I did with a great gulp, and imme- 
diately began to turn deathly sick. I delivered 
the message to the Senator, but before I re- 
turned with his reply I had vomited 1 don't 
know how many times, and was so ill I could 



36 POLLY AND GILBEET 

scarcely stand up straight. I got excused and 
went home, and of course grandma was so 
frightened that she sent right off for the doctor. 
And, what do yon reckon he didf 

Walter looked quizzically at bis consin. 

**Gave yon some nasty medicine/* was the 
prompt reply. 

**Yes, but first he took off his glasses and 
rnbbed them with his handkerchief, then he 
looked at me lying as limp as a rag across the 
bed and laughed. *You are too young to chew 
tobacco, boy,* he s^id. Grandma was shocked, 
but the doctor told her he guessed my first les- 
son would be enou.2:h to keep me from trying it 
again. He thought T had only swallowed a little 
of the juice, but when I told him it was the 
whole quid his face straightened out and he 
began dosing me up. [t was several days before 
I was myself again, and I have never touched 
tobacco in any form since, and don't intend to 
until I am twenty-one years old.'* 

With the last resolution Walter arose from 
the Speaker's platform, where the three had 
seated themselves, and led his companions from 
the room. 

**Now for the Supreme Court," he said. 

After as^ain recrossing the rotunda the chil- 
dren passed up the broad north corridor until 
Walter stopped and pushed open a door on the 
east side of the hall. 

**The highest court in the United States/* he 



THE CAPITOL'S DOME 37 

announced. '*It does not look very large in 
comparison with the room we have just left, but, 
you see, there are only nine judges — the Chief 
Justice and his eight associates. They sit up 
on the platform behind the railing, the next 
space being reserved for Council, and these 
chairs just inside the door are to accommodate 
the public. The busts you see about the room 
are of the former Chiei Justices.'' 

The Senate Chamber, in the north wing, was 
found, just as Walter had stated, very much 
like the House of Representatives, only smaller. 
Walter pointed out the seat of the President of 
the Senate, who is al.50 the Vice President of 
the United States. 

^'The first reception room," explained the 
boy, *4s for the public. From there you send in 
your card. If your Senator is in, but doesn't 
care to see you" — Waiter winked — "he simply 
says to the bearer, ^Out,' and the messenger 
returns to tell you that the Senator is not in. 
On the other hand, if you are received, most 
likely you will be invited back into this, the 
Marble Room." 

Gilbert walked slowly about the second room, 
with its columns and paneled walls of marble. 

"Doesn't it look strong and shiny?" he said. 
"And the ceiling is of marble, too. I don't won- 
der there are no flies jn here." 

"Wliy?" asked Polly. 

"Because there is nothing to stick to." 



38 POLLY AND GILBERT 

Walter laughed. 

**Let us hear what you have to say of this 
room,'' he said, ushering them into the Presi- 
dent's private reception-room. **This is where 
the President comes to sign the last bills before 
Congress adjourns. The wall, you see, is deco- 
rated with portraits of Washington and his first 
cabinet — Jeli'erson, Hamilton, Knox, Kandolph, 
and Osgood.'' Walter ran the names olt glibly. 
**And over there is Jolumbus with emblems of 
Discovery; Amerigo Vespucci (Exploration), 
William Brewster (Religion), and Benjamin 
Franklin (History)." 

* ' Oh, do come on. I am getting so tired of all 
this history," fretted Polly. '* Aren't you go- 
ing up in the dome to-day!" 

*'We certainly are," assured her brother; 
*^that is, if Gil is equal to the mighty climb." 

^'Of course I am," declared the little fellow, 
"but isn't it 'most time we were starting home? 
We promised granda to be back in time for 
noon lunch, you know." 

*^So we did." Walter pulled out his watch. 
**Who would have thought it!" he exclaimed. 
"It is five minutes after eleven now." 

The children hurriedly retraced their steps, 
dodging in and out of the many groups of sight- 
seers blocking their way, until they reached a 
quiet-looking door just north of the rotunda. 
Here they turned off i.nd began to climb what 
to Gilbert now appeared a very poor and nar- 



THE CAPITOL'S DOME 39 

row stone stairway, Willi an iron railing. There 
were small windows all along the way that gave 
air and light, and the long winding stretch of 
steps was broken every now and then by a short 
platform, or landing, which allowed one to stop 
for a moment's rest before starting upward 
again. Finally, after much laughing and puf- 
fing and blowing, our little party reached the 
Wliis-nering Gallery, jast beneath the canopy. 

*^What is thatf asked Gilbert, pointing to a 
counter which stood to the right of the head 
of the stairs. 

^^That is a souvenir stand." 

**Is it? I think I shall buy something to take 
home to mother. '* 

The boy surveyed the small assortment of 
silverware, miniature figures of Government 
buildings, and post cards. Finally he decided 
upon a silver spoon, with a picture of ''Uncle 
Sam'* in the bowl and one of the Capitol carved 
on the handle. 

'*T'll take that," he said, but when the man 
held out his hand for the price — one dollar and 
a half — the boy was obli2:ed to admit he had not 
that TTonrh monev with him. 

''That's all riQ:ht," spoke ur> Polly, ''pay in 
thirty davs is considered cash here in Wash- 
in o:t on. We can bring the money up to-mor- 
row." 

The salesman smiled. 

"I will lay it aside for you, young man," he 



40 POLLY AND GILBEET 

said, *'and if you live near yon might bring the 
price this afternoon/' 

^^What, climb these steps twice in one dayT' 
cried Walter. ''Not for all the spoons on your 
table, my friend. Here, Gil, buy this illuminated 
picture of the Capitol. It lights up beautifully, 
and only costs fifty cents." 

After the purchase the children turned their 
attention to the rotunda canopy, which now 
looked imm^ense to them. Suddenly Gilbert felt 
his cousin tugging at his coat. 

''Don't say a word, but just look at Polly," 
he whispered. 

The little girl was leaning as far over the 
railing as she dared, gazing at the rotunda 
floor, nearly one hundred and eighty feet be- 
neath her. 

"Slip around to the other side of the railing," 
directed Walter, in a low tone, "and when I 
raise my hand whisper 'Polly,' real sharp, and 
see what happens." 

Gilbert did as instructed, and was amazed to 
see his cousin jump back into the arms of her 
brother, who had grasped firmly her dress skirt. 

"Aren't you ashamed of yourself?" asked 
Walter. "Suppose the guard had noticed what 
you were doing." 

Polly's face flushed. 

"I wasn't spitting at anybody's head," she 
faltered. "I only wanted to see if I could hear 
it smack when it strucK the floor." 



THE CAPITOL'S DOME 41 

The child was so crestfallen that both boys 
laughed heartily. 

** Never mind, sis," said Walter, patting her 
cheek, *Hhat wasn't half so bad as the time you 
threw the rotten apple over. Now let's take Gil 
up a little higher, so he can get a view of the 
city from the balustrade just below the lan- 
tern." 

A few minutes later the children, nearly three 
hundred feet above the earth, stood gazing 
at the city below them. 

**This," said sixteen-year-old Walter, look- 
ins^ east, '4s the section of the city known as 
* Capitol Hill.' Can you tell me what building 
that is, Gilbert?" 

He pointed directly In front. 

''Yes," was the prompt reply. "It is the 
Library of Congress, but what are those on 
either side of the Capitol?" 

'*The one on the ri^ht is an office building for 
the use of the House of Representatives; that 
one on the left helonQ:s, for the same purpose, to 
the Senate. Both buildings are of white marble, 
and look exactly alike from the outside, but the 
House building has four hundred and ten rooms, 
while that of the Senate has but ninetj^-nine. 
The buildinsfs are connected with the Capitol by 
underground passages, or subways, and when 
completed will have cost the Government five 
million dollars. South you see the Potomac 
Elver, which supplies the city with water. Now 



42 POLLY AND GILBEET 

look away over northwest. Do you see a tiny 
white speck? Well, that is Arlington, the Na- 
tional Cemetery. It once belonged to the chil- 
dren of General Robert E. Lee, the Commander- 
in-Chief of the Confederate Army. Wlien their 
father, with his family, went to Richmond to 
live, where he was soon after given charge of 
the Virginia troops, the Union took possession 
of the old home and, at first, made it the head- 
quarters of the army. It must have made the 
Lees feel awfully bad. but I guess it lightened 
the sting somewhat to have the first man buried 
there a Confederate soldier; he was a prisoner 
and died in our hospital. I was reading about 
it in one of the newspapers the other evening. 
The article stated that to-day there are over 
twenty thousand buried in the cemetery. Of 
course they are not all our men, for a portion 
of the grounds is reserved for the Confederate 
dead.*' 

**Hum!'' commented Polly, *^I should think 
that was quite a number to bury in one day." 

**I didn't mean they were all put away in one 
day," lausfhed Walter. *'I should have said, 
during and since the Civil War. There goes 
the twelve o'clock whistle. We must start for 
home right away." 



r 



CHAPTER IV 

A TRIP TO MOUNT VERNON 

Upon reaching home the children were de- 
lighted to find a telephone message from Mrs. 
Rae awaiting them. Sne wanted no plans made 
for the morrow, as she had gotten excused for 
the day and intended taking the entire party to 
visit the home of Washington. 

"Fine!'^ exclaimed Walter, tossing Ned. 
* * I suppose I must order a chicken to put in the 
lunch baskef 

** Maybe,'' replied grandma, **but we had bet- 
ter wait and see what mother's arrangements 
are first." 

This was very wisely said, for when Mrs. Rae 
got home that evening they found that she had 
planned to stop over in Alexandria on their way 
home from Mount Vernon, and after taking 
dinner in a cafe spend the rest of the afternoon 
seeing the sights of tli^ famous old town. 

The next morning they took the ten o'clock 
boat, Charles McCalasier, and started on their 
trip down the historic I'otomac. The first thing 
of interest they passed was the United States 
Arsenal. Gilbert noticed its long stretch of 

43 



44 POLLY AND GILBERT 

handsome buildings, officers' quarters, along 
the river front; next came the War College, 
with its statue of Frederick the Great guarding 
the entrance. Then the boat stopped to take 
on freight at the Alexandria wharf. 

**Is it possible that ^his sleepy old place can 
be forty-two years older than Washington T' 
Gilbert inquired in dismay. 

*^ Yes, and at one tine considered itself thrif- 
tier than our beautiful city,'' sneered Walter. 

*^It was, son," replied his mother. ^'In the 
year 1846 it was allowed by Congress to with- 
draw from the Federal jurisdiction and once 
more attach itself to Virginia because it, Alex- 
andria, the thriving city, was unwilling to furth- 
er assist the debt-ridden Washington." 

*^Hum!" grunted Gi'bert. *'I bet she would 
be glad enough to open up the old compact." 

*^You are right, cousin, but maybe we are 
something like the bull pup — better oif, when 
the wound has healed, to have our tail end sev- 
ered," answered the other boy. ^^But come 
on, let us get seats over on the Maryland side. 
I want to show you how the British sneaked up 
on Fort Washington in 1814. Here we are! 
See the gray walls of the fort and the American 
flag?" 

*^Yes, and doesn't our flag wave out beauti- 
fully? I wonder how it happens that our coun- 
try's flag is handsomer than that of any other 
nation?" 



MOUNT VERNON 45 

''You remind me of the German mother 
father used to tell about,'' said Walter. *'He 
met her on one of his voyages to Germany. You 
know, he was sent there twice in Government 
service. It seems that the old lady and her hus- 
band — Ens^el was their name — had left the 
Fatherland years before to make a fortune in 
fairyland America. Well, with fortune made 
and partner laid away in the cemetery, the wife 
suddenly determined tnat her daughter should 
see and know her relatives across the ocean. 
After landing, father lost track of them, but 
one day ran across the two in Berlin, and that 
afternoon took them oat driving. The old lady 
had become such a thorough American that she 
both interested and amused him. When the car- 
riage suddenly swung around a corner and 
stopped before the American Legation she 
grasped the girl by the shoulder and shouted, 
frantic with joy: * Daughter, daughter! Look, 
look! don't you see your countr^^'s flag! Wave 
to it, chiM! It's de grandest ting I've seen 
since we've been here.' Hey!" the boy inter- 
rupted himself, ^^I got so interested in my yarn 
that I forgot what I wanted to show you, but 
it was around a bend in the river just the other 
side of the fort that tbe ^redcoats' sneaked up 
and surprised our men." 

'*I bet no outsider would catch the American 
forces napping to-day," ventured Gilbert. 

**I should say not. Why, boy, this old Po- 



46 POLLY AND GILBEKT 

tomac River is mined for I don't know how far 
down. AVe could blow anybody who bothered us 
on it into smithereens in a jiffy. There goes 
the bell. It always sounds when a boat passes 
Mount Vernon, and if there is a band on board 
a patriotic air is played. Listen! Hear itT' 
And Gilbert almost held his breath, while the 
brass band struck up ^^My County, 'Tis of 
Thee." swelling in volume as it progressed. 

** Mamma says for vou boys to come over with 
the rest of us, row. We are going to land, and 
she wants us all together." 

Polly's voice came weakly through the great 
blare of music. 

Althouo-h the big excursion boat was crowded, 
scarcely fifty neople left it with our friends at 
the little landing at the foot of the hill. The 
others were all sfoins: to Marshall Hall, a sum- 
mer resort farther down the river. 

There are two ways up to the Washington 
Mansion, one by way cf a long, though easily 
climbed, flight of stairs, the other a winding 
road. 

**We will take the steps," said grandma, be- 
ginning briskly to climb. * * It is much the nearer 
way." 

The first building they reached was the barn 
and coach house. 

**Here," s^id Aunt Alice, '*is where Wash- 
ington's coach and saddle horses were stabled. 
His famous traveling coach, * White Chariot,' 



MOUNT VERNON 47 

was kept in the coach house there/* 

''Is that itf" asked Gilbert, peeping in the 
door inaicated. 

''No, but it is said to be one of the many- 
owned by Washington. You must know/' con- 
tinned grandma, "that when the Mount Vernon 
Ladies Association first purchased this prop- 
erty from Mr. John A. Washington, Jr., they 
found the Mansion and out- buildings unfur- 
nished and greatly out of repair. As the years 
have passed they liave gotten hold of first one 
thing and tlien another, until now many pieces 
of the original furniture and personal effects 
of the Washingtons have been recovered.'' 

"At one time milk was sold here in the little 
white kitchen, but now there is nothing for sale 
except souvenirs of the place, and they don't 
do your stomach much good when you are hun- 
gry," pouted Polly. "You are not allowed to 
eat on the premises ; if you bring a picnic basket 
along you are compelled to leave it outside the 
grounds." 

Gilbert purchased a cute little compass, which 
was cut in a bean that had grown on a tree 
planted by LaFayette during one of his visits 
to Washington. 

As grandma had often been through the his- 
toric old home she offered to remain outside to 
entert'^in Ned on the east portico, which 
extends the full length of the building, while 
the others saw the interesting things within. 



48 POLLY AND GILBERT 

To Gilbert's surprise he found the house was 
frame, 

**It looks just like stone/' he declared. 

**Its foundation walls are of stone and brick,'* 
Aunt Alice told him, ''but all the rest is wood; 
the sheathing is of North Carolina pine, finished 
in such a manner as to resemble stone." 

In the east end room, which was Washing- 
ton's banquet hall, the first thing to catch the 
boy's eye was a large equestrian portrait, 
* * AVashington before Yorktown." He was 
studying it when Walter called his attention 
to the model of the Bastile. 

*'It was sent over by our friend Lafayette, 
and was made of stone taken from the famous 
old French prison." 

** Isn't it a dreadful-looking place?" ex- 
claimed Polly. ''Tell us more about it, brother." 

"There isn't much more to tell, sis. I have 
read that it held from seventy to eighty pris- 
oners. That doesn't seem many, but when you 
take into consideration that they were most al- 
ways of high rank, it puts another light upon 
it." 

''Mr. Tealman," said Gilbert, ''once told us 
that often the prisoners were entirely forgotten 
by the outside world, and that in many cases the 
cause of their imprisonment was never known." 

"Mercy!" Polly cried. "I am glad things 
do not go on like that in our country." 

"It is all over now, dear," assured Mrs. Eae. 



MOUNT VEENON 49 

**Tlie old Bastile was destroyed by the people 
in the year 1789, and Lafayette sent the key 
here to Washington. France is now a republic, 
you know/' 

**I am glad I am an American, anyway, '' 
argued the little girl. 

*^Good for you, Pol ! No other land has such 
a place as this to visit, nor a George Washing- 
ton, either,*' Walter declared. 

Among the many other relics that our friend 
stopped to admire in the banquet hall were two 
quaint silver bracket lamps, the fireplace with 
its white marble mantel, a gift to our first 
President from one of his English admirers, 
Mr. Samuel Vaughan; and a number of inter- 
esting articles in an old-fashioned cabinet. 
There was also a silk banner bearing the British 
coat-of-arms said to have been captured by 
Washington. 

In the library many of the shelves were found 
nearly empty, as most of Washington's books 
are now tbe property of the Boston Athenaeum. 

It was at the door of the music-room of Nellie 
Custis, Washington's adopted daughter, that 
the little party lingered. 

* ^ Isn 't the harpsichord quaint-looking ? ' ' asked 
Polly, peering through the wire gate which 
guards the room from relic hunters. 

*'Yes. Just imagine Miss Custis in ner wide, 
flowing skirts and with powdered hair sitting 
in front of it," said Walter. 



60 POLLY AND GILBERT 

**With General Washington standing by her 
side, playing his flute/' added Gilbert, eyeing 
the long instrument, which lay upon the harpsi- 
chord. ^'My, it must have been line music!'' 

**What makes you think so, dear?" asked 
Mrs. Eae. 

**I don't know, only I imagine everything 
that Washington did was done well. I have the 
history of his early life, and it says even from 
a little boy he aimed to do the best he could 
in all of his undertakings. That is why he 
grew to be such a great man and was selected 
for our first general, as well as President." 

The next room was the west parlor, and held 
many interesting things. 

Its ceiling decorations, mantel, and wall pan- 
els are all original, Gilbert was told. 

* * Is that the Washington coat-of -arms carved 
over the mantel?" the boy asked. 

**Yes, and his crest and initials are cast in 
the heavy iron fireback just beneath it," re- 
plied Walter. 

*^I think the rug is the handsomest article 
this room contains," observed Mrs. Rae. ^^Look 
at it, children. Louis XVI had it woven and 
sent as a present to General Washington. See, 
it has our country's emblem, — the spread eagle 
holdins: the American shield, and our motto, 
*E Pluribus Unum.' It is a wonderful piece of 
work." 



MOUNT VERNON 51 

**Wliat did you say the motto reads in Eng- 
lish, mamma?" asked Polly. 

** *In one many/ or, if you prefer, ^Many in 
one,' '' whispered her brother in her ear, **and 
for goodness* sake, sis, do not display your 
ignorance next time in so loud a tone.'' 

**0h, Walter," admonished his mother, ^*she 
is just a little girl, and there is lots and lots of 
time for her to learn." 

But Polly was chagrined, and sedately left 
the others. She was tired, she said, and wanted 
to play ball with grandma and Ned out on the 
green. 

There were but two rooms left on the first 
floor to look through. They were the family 
dining-room and Mrs. Washington's sitting- 
room. In the first few pieces of the original 
furnishings were found. The sideboard be- 
longed to the Washingtons, as did also the cut- 
glass decanter and cutlery cases. In the last 
room Mrs. Rae pointed to a handsome mahog- 
any secretary. 

**That," she said, reading the card attached 
to it, *'once stood in Washington's headquarters 
at Cambridge." 

*'And, see here, aunty, is a beeswax candle 
that was moulded in 1776, to be used at York- 
town. Think! It is over a hundred years old. 
It seems almost impossible that a little thing 
like that could be kept through all these years 



52 POLLY AND GILBEET 

when the great people who once owned it have 
been s;or\e so lons^, doesn't itT' 

**Yes. dear, hut T have older relics than that. 
In onr little miisenm at home are several bean- 
tifnl stones taken from the walls of a temple in 
the bnried city of Pompeii, the ancient city that 
for more than one thousand six hundred years 
lay hidden beneath the ashes and cinders of an 
eruption from terrible old Mount Vesuvius, 
waitino^ for a man, who was digging a well on 
the fertile land which during the centuries had 
formed above the ruins, to strike the tip of one 
of the steeples, and thus start its unearthing.'' 

'*May T see the stones when we get home?" 

'*Yes. T will give you one for a ring setting, 
because T believe you will ar)"nreciate the gift 
enough to take care of it. Now before we go 
upstairs I want you to notice the three swords 
hanging here in the main hall. They are the 
only ones, among those willed by Washington 
to his five nephews, that are preserved here." 

Just before they started on their tour of the 
second floor Gilbert was glad to have Polly re- 
join the party. 

^^I want to see what you think of the funny 
things upstairs," she whispered to him. 

In the upper hall they stopped to examine a 
set of fire buckets made of leather. In the cabi- 
net with them were a number of other relics. 

*^ There is a powder horn that was used by 
the * minute men' at Concord," exclaimed Gil- 



MOUNT VERNON 53 

bert. ^^Jiist imagine our soldiers of to-day 
dressed up in a thing like that." 

*'It would be a joke, wouldn't it!" 

AValter chuckled at the idea. 

The children thought Nellie Custis' bed the 
queerest they had ever seen. 

**The idea of having to climb steps to get 
into bed," remarked Polly. 

"Miss Nellie must have gotten a terrible 
bump if she ever rolled out," observed her 
cousin. 

Thus laughing and commenting, Mrs. Rae led 
the happy trio for a peep through the wire gates 
of the various other rooms, until they stood 
before the open door of General Washington's 
room. Here all mirth was laid aside, for the 
bed, as the card fastened to it reads, is the 
same in which our beloved first President passed 
away. The four sturdy posts, with their spot- 
lessly white curtains and the snowy coverlids 
of the bed, make it both solemn and impressive. 
Close at hand stands the General's old military 
trunk and a few of his camp equipments. There 
are also two chair cushions worked by his wife's 
thrifty fingers. 

**A1I that seems lacking is for the General 
to step forward and shake hands," whispered 
Walter. 

** Mercy!" almost shrieked Polly. "I'd go 
out of that window head foremost if anything 



54 POLLY AND GILBERT 

so ghostly should happen. But I don*t wonder 
Mrs. Washington loved her husband so much." 

*'Nor I/' replied the little girl's mother. 
**Let us show Gilbert a mark of her devotion." 

The boy was led to the little attic room, the 
only one of any interest on the third floor, and 
was asked if he could guess why the heart- 
broken widow had chosen this apartment in 
preference to any other after the death of her 
husband. Of course he did not know. 

^^It was because," replied his aunt, **from 
its only window she could see the tomb where 
the body of her husband lay." 

**And," spoke up Polly, pushing her brother 
out of the way, ^ ' she shut herself up here away 
from everybody except her pet cat. See," she 
pointed to the open door, ^'here is the hole she 
had cut so it could go in and out at will." 

Gilbert looked doubtfully at his aunt. 

**That is the story we are told," she affirmed. 

Scarcely had the group joined grandma and 
Neddie on the lawn below when a bell began 
ringing. 

** There is the boat's first call — fifteen min- 
utes before it leaves. I will see grandma and 
Ned safely on deck, son, while you hurry with 
the children to the tomb. Now, do not tarry 
lono:." 

Off went Walter on a trot, with Polly and 
Gilbert close behind. A sudden turn brought 
them in sight of the hallowed spot. 



MOUNT VERNON 55 

** Remember,'^ said Walter, *'tliis is not the 
original, or old tomb. That is on the edge of the 
hill down toward the wharf. General Wash- 
ington, believing it to be insecure, selected this 
site for a new tomb only a few months before 
he died; but it was not until years later, after a 
grave ro])ber had broken into the old one and 
stolen a skull and number of bones which he 
believed to be part of Washington's body, — 
but fortunately were not, — that the new tomb 
was built.'' 

Gilbert stepped in front of the brick structure 
and read the marble slab above its arched gate- 
way: '^Within this inclosure rest the remains 
of General George Washington." The boy 
looked in through the double iron portals at the 
two marble sarcophagi. The one on the right 
bore simply the word, ^^ Washington.'' Gilbert 
knew it belonged to the General, for across it 
was draped the American flag, and chiseled in it 
was the United States coat-of-arms. The other 
was that of his wife, and was inscribed, 
'* Martha, Contort of Washington. Died May 
21, 1801, aged 71 years." 

** About fort}^ bodies of other members of 
the Washington family are buried in that inner 
chamber," Walter said, pointing to a door in 
the rear of the large vault. *'When the old 
tomb was abandoned this one was locked and 
the key thrown into the Potomac. Now, there 
goes the boat's whistle again," he exclaimed. 



66 POLLY AND GILBERT 

''I expect it is blowing for us. We had better 
hustle/' 

*^ Yo' hns zactly five minutes t' catch et," an- 
nounced a venerable old darkey whose sole duty 
apparently was to guard the sacred spot. 

Upon reaching the steps Walter paused. 

'^Mother may come to hurry us along,'' he 
said, *^so you two better go one way and I the 
other m order to head her off." 

*^We will take the road," cried Polly, and 
hastened off in that direction with her cousin. 

*^My, it seems a long way!" presently panted 
Gilbert. ^'Why, Pol!" he exclaimed, '*we are 
not on the right road. Look! the. river is al- 
most behind us." 

The children gazed about them in alarm. At that 
moment another *^toot! toot!" sounded some 
distance off. The s^irl srrasped her cousin's arm. 

*^Do you — do you think they have left us?" 
she s:asped. 

^^I don't know." 

'^Wliatever shall we do, Gil?" 

^* Don't know about that, either. Sleep out 
here under the trees, maybe. But come on ; we 
can't stop here. We had better go back the 
way we came." 

Presently Polly shivered. 

^*Do you believe in ghosts, Gil?" she inquired 
as they sped along the circling path. 

**No. Do you?" 

The girl was silent. 



CHAPTER V 

A STOP IN ALEXANDRIA 

**I wouldn't be a ^ scare cat,' Pol," sniffed 
the boy. 

*'I didn't think nntil now that I was," ad- 
mitted the girl. **But, oh, Gil, I really and 
truly believe it will frighten me to death if we 
are obliged to stay out here all night." 

Instantly the little fellow's arm was around 
his cousin's waist. 

'^ Never mind, deary," he soothed. ^^We will 
keep on hunting until we find the Mansion." 

^^What?" shrieked the child. ^^ Sleep up 
there in that dead place? Never in this world. 
My hair would be white by morning. Just to 
think, Gilbert, suppose they were to put me in 
Martha Washington's bed. I could never climb 
the steps intj Nellie Cus " 

*^Hush!" warned her companion. *^ Some- 
one is coming." He listened a moment, then: 
** Hello!" he shouted. 

The next instant there appeared around the 
curved path a familiar figure. 

*'Tbe old man of the tomb!" exclaimed Polly. 

The boy hastened toward him. 

57 



58 POLLY AND GILBEET 

** Quick, uncle/' he cried. ^^ Direct us to the 
boat, please. We have lost our way.'' 

**Yo' don' say? An' yo' big brudder don' 
run off an' lef yo', too?" queried the darkey. 

**0h," wailed the girl, "do hurry and tell us 
what w^e want to know. Maybe if the boat isn't 
too far off the captain will see us waving and 
turn back." 

"Dat boat ain't lef yo', honey. It ain' gwina 
lef yo,' either," the old man added, with a nod. 
Turning about he headed the two in the opposite 
direction, mumbling to himself as he led the 
way. Suddenly he stopped and planted his cane 
firmly in the gravel road. 

** 'Tain never lef nobudy when dey knows 
dey ain' aboa'd. Yo' can take ma word fur it, 
'cause ain' ma po' ole father 'longed to de 
Washini>:tons all he nat'ral life, an' me arter he 
gone! Yas, sur, ma daddie an' de Gen'ral was 
des lek brodders one time." 

"Oh," exclaimed Gilbert, for a moment for- 
getting his plight, "maybe your father was the 
boy that George Washington's father came near 
licking about the cherry tree hack?" 

"Licked fur dat cherry tree hack?" The 
old darkey was hobbling up the road once more. 
"No. chi^e, ain' neber heard tell of ma dad get- 
tin' licked fur nuffin'," he grunted. "He was 
de onliest one wha' could handle de horses to 
dat vehicle, an' de very man wha' driv' dat 
hack." 



IN ALEXANDRIA 59 

There was no time for questions nor argu- 
ment, for the steps were reached, and with a 
good-by wave to their rescuer the children tore 
down them as fast as their legs would carry 
them. 

**It is a lucky thing for you,'' declared the 
good-natured purser of the boat, when the tru- 
ants were safely over the gangplank, "that your 
ma insisted you were not on board, or I'd have 
been gone fully ten minutes ago.'' 

Now thrit the anxiety was over, both Polly 
and Gilbert enjoyed immensely relating their 
experience to the other members of their party, 
and Walter laughed until his sides ached over 
the George Washington yarn. 

When the boat reached Alexandria Mrs. Rae 
led the way to a cafe on King Street, and after 
all had been refreshed by a hearty dinner they 
started olf to visit Christ Church, Washington's 
church, on Cameron and W^ashington streets. 

The edifice was found locked, but the sexton 
was on hand to open it obligingly to visitors. 

The strangers were told that the Washington 
pew remains unaltered, and is to-day just as it 
was when ihe General and his family occupied 
it over a century ago. It contains three benches, 
two facing each other, and the third a cross seat 
against the wall. 

Gilbert thought it a very queer arrangement 
to have the back of one bench turned toward 
the minister, but Polly whispered that slie uon- 



60 POLLY AND GILBERT 

sidered it quite wise, as that way the preacher 
would be unable to see when you yawned or 
got fidgety during service. 

'*The chancel rail and the mural tablets of 
the Apostle's Creed and the Lord's Prayer are 
the same as were used in Washington's time,'^ 
tiie sexton informed them, *'as is also the 
communion table and reading desk. And this," 
— the speaker turned reverently to the pew 
across from Washington's, — "was, as its silver 
plate tells you, once occupied by General Rob- 
ert E. Lee. It also remains unaltered." 

**1 sup[)Ose," said Mrs. Rae, "your State is 
very proud to be able to claim two such noble 
men as Washington and Lee?" 

The man's face lit up with love and pride. 

**We Virginians," he answered, in a low tone, 
** consider them our country's greatest generals, 
and," he added gently, "we love them alike." 

He turned and walked slowly down the aisle. 

** Excuse me, but haven't you forgotten to tell 
us about that crystal chandelier?" asked Wal- 
ter. "It is the oddest-looking one I have ever 
seen." 

The guide smiled. 

"That," he replied, "is likewise a relic of 
Washington days. It is solid brass, and its 
twelve candlesticks — you know candles were 
used at that time — are typical of the twelve 
apostles. Now notice these pillars. The marks 



IN ALEXANDEIA 61 

you see beneath the surface are those of the 
sconces and tinder-box.'* 

When leavins: the church 2:randma insisted 
that, as Neddie was getting tired and fretful, he 
and she return home on the electric cars and 
leave the others to finish their sight-seeing. 

*^We have had a delightful time,'' declared 
the old lady, ^M3ut any more of it would, I fear, 
tire us both out." 

After seeing: the two off the others started 
for the Carlyle House on the corner of Fairfax 
and Cameron streets. 

*^My!" exclaimed Gilbert, gazing at the 
sturdy oM house, with its high gable roof and 
prison-like basement entrance. ^'Tt seems 
strange to be visiting these old places that were 
put up so many years ago." 

*'Yes," responded his aunt, ^'this building 
has been standing since the year 1752. And, 
oh, how many tales of secret meetings and con- 
spiracies against our country we would hear 
if only these old walls could speak!" 

**This is where General Braddock had quar- 
ters when he came to take charge of the British 
forces," Walter informed his cousin. ^*And 
where he summoned Washington to offer him a 
commission as major in the British Army." 

^*What would we have done for a 'Father of 
Our Country' if he had accepted?" inquired 
Polly, with a serious face. 

**The Lord would have raised us another 



62 POLLY AND GILBEET 

Washington, just as He did a Lincoln and a 
McKinley when they were needed/' answered 
her mother. 

It pleased the lady to note with what interest 
the three children entered into the historic sio^ht- 
seeino^. On the steps of the old City Hotel, where 
General Washin2:ton made his farewell ad- 
dress, Walter suddenly threw up his arms and 
cried : 

** 'Give me liberty, or give me death!' '' 

^'PoHy might return the speech you made to 
her at Mount Vernon," laughed Mrs. "Rae. '^ 'Do 
not disyjlay your ignorance in so loud a tone.' " 

Her son flushed. 

**I know Washington didn't say that, mom, 
but for the life of me I cannot recall who did," 
he confessed. "Can you enlighten me, Gill" 

The boy shook his head. 

* ' I ought to know, ' ' he admitted. ' ' It is very, 
very familiar. I think it was Patrick Henry." 
He looked inquiringly at his aunt. 

But she only placed a finger on her lips. 

**Look it up when we get home, and the one 
who first brings me the correct answer receives 
the prize," she promised. 

"I know," put in Polly. ''It was one of the 
great men who lived during Washington's life." 

"Good for sis. She gets the reward." 

Her brother placed a brand-new Lincoln pen- 
ny in her palm. 

The Marshall House, where the Ellsworth 



IN ALEXANDEIA 63 

tragedy occurred, at the begmning of the Civil 
War, was the last place our friends visited. 
Here the children were shown the door from 
which James Jackson, proprietor of the tavern, 
emerged just in time to kill daring Colonel E. E. 
Ellsworth, who had torn the Confederate flag 
from the roof of the inn and, with a few of his 
New York Zouaves, was boisterously descending 
the stairs. 

** Couldn't Jackson have bought a new flag?" 
Polly asked, after hearing the tale. 

*^Not very well," replied Walter. ^* How- 
ever, he was shot down himself by one of the 
Colonel's followers before his double-barreled 
shotgun could do further damage." 

Once more out on the rough brick pavement 
for which Alexandria is also famous, Gilbert 
suggested that they buy some buns. 

**May we eat on the street for just this once, 
mamma?" begged Polly. 

**Make it fruit instead of bread, and promise 
to finish it up before the car comes and 1 will 
not object," the lady assured her hungry party. 

A few minutes later, comfortably seated in 
one of the big electric cars which run between 
Washington and Mount Vernon, the little group 
found themselves speeding toward the Capital 
City. 

*'Our next outing will be — where?" 

Mrs. Rae looked at her nephew as she asked 
the question. 



64 POLLY AND GILBERT 

**Will we be too tired for the Congressional 
Library to-night T' the boy inquired eagerly. 
**I have not been in it yet, because you said you 
were sure I would appreciate it more if I made 
my first visit when it was lighted up.'' 

^^ We shall go to-morrow evening — you, Polly, 
and I, while AValter is at night school,'' his 
auntie promised. 



CHAPTER VI 

POLLY GETS INTO TEOUBLE 

**I think/' said Gilbert softly, ^'tliat I must 
be in fairyland. The building is grand enough 
outside, but when you get in its beauty almost 
takes your breath away.'' He rubbed his hands 
together and gazed in delight about him. 
^'Motlier has often told me of it, but never once 
did I dream it could be as beautiful as it really 
is." 

The trio — Aunt Alice, Polly, and Gilbert — 
were standing in the central stair hall of the 
National Library, whicli is not surpassed in 
magnificence by any other entrance hall in the 
world. Throughout it is lined with highly pol- 
ished marble. Lofty columns, with beautiful 
carved capitals, rise on all sides, while delicate 
designs of rosettes and palm leaves adorn the 
arches. It was no wonder as our friend Gilbert 
viewed it for the first time, illuminated by its 
many electric lights, the brilliancy of which is 
mellowed by thousands of tiny crystal globes, 
that he should be bewildered. As he followed 
Aunt Alice through corridor after corridor he 
asked few questions, but appeared, child though 



66 POLLY AND GILBERT 

he was, to drink in all the beauty that surround- 
ed him. The mosaic work impressed him great- 
ly. He could not understand how such lovely 
pictures could be built with tiny colored stones. 
In the public reading-room they stopped long 
enough for the children to be shown how to fill 
out a card when calling for a book. 

** There are two copies of every book pub- 
lished in the United States kept here,'' the 
librarian told them. **So, you see, if one has 
time it is an easy matter to come here and read 
anything he may fancy." 

After a visit to the Representatives ' and Sen- 
ators ' private reading-rooms, the children were 
led down the main steps, through the north cor- 
ridor, to the room set apart for the blind. It 
was explained that this room is on the ground 
floor so that the sightless may enjoy it as much 
as possible. Many of them visit it unattended, 
which would be impossible were there steps to 
climb. 

The children were very much interested with 
the books in this room, which were printed in a 
system of tiny raised lettering. They closed 
their eyes and tried to read, but to their uncul- 
tivated sense of touch the pin pricks meant 
nothing. 

**I want you to remember," said Aunt Alice 
on the way home, ^Hhat the architects, painters, 
and sculptors of the wonderful building through 
which you have just passed are all American 



POLLY IN TEOUBLE 67 

citizens, and that its design and execution are 
true productions of your countrymen's talent 
and workmanship." 

**I think," replied Gilbert thoughtfully, 'Hhat 
while my memory is fresh I had better write to 
Mr. Tealman and tell him all about it." . 

'*No letter to-night," sang Polly, as the little 
party came in sight of home. 

The light in the parlor was burning brightly, 
and through the lace curtains could be seen 
grandma, with Ned on her lap, entertaining 
two strangers. 

** Company," said Mrs. Eae; '*but who are 
they?" 

*'I am sure I don't know," replied Polly. 

'*I think I do," cried Gilbert joyfully. *^It 
is Lillian Eodkin and her brother Paul." 

**We have been here nearly ever since you 
left," Lillian informed them after the introduc- 
tions were over, ^^but as your grandma said 
you would be home some time to-night we de- 
termined to wait and see if we could not have the 
pleasure of showing you through the White 
House to-morrow afternoon." 

Gilbert was delighted. 

** Indeed you may!" he exclaimed. 

** Polly is invited to come, too," continued the 
little girl. 

**Our carriage will call for you about eleven 
o'clock in the morning. That will give you time 
to take lunch with us and get acquainted with 



68 POLLY AND GILBEET 

mamma," put in Paul. '^Slie loves to meet all 
of our friends, you know.'* 

It is needless to say that the Eodkin car- 
riasfe found both children awaiting it when it 
arrived next morning promptly on the hour. 

The driver, a good-natured Irishman, was 
ready and willing to answer any questions to the 
best of his ability that might be asked of him. 
So by the time the children had reached their 
destination they had seen Admiral Evans' — 
** Fighting Bob" — home; were shown the City 
Hall, and had pointed out to them the door 
through which Guiteau, the assassin of Presi- 
dent Garfield, had passed to be tried for the 
murder of the President. They were driven 
through Judiciary Square and around the big 
red brick Pension Office, where the inaugura- 
tion balls are held, at which eighteen thousand 
people have been known to gather. They also 
saw the Government Patent Office, a massive 
white building of granite and marble, and were 
told that the Boston House and Palais Royal, 
which they next passed, were the two first of the 
many handsome apartment stores in the city. 

Polly and Gilbert did not tarry long in the 
home of their friends, for after luncheon Mrs. 
Rodkin said it was time to start if they expected 
to reach the White House by twelve-thirty 
o'clock. 

**What park is that?" asked Gilbert, just 



POLLY IN TROUBLE 69 

after the carriage had turned from H Street 
into Madison Place. 

*^ Lafayette Square,'^ replied Paul. **It is 
one of the finest parks in Washington.'' 

** There is the Belasco Theatre," said the doc- 
tor, who had accompanied the children. * ' It is 
built upon ground which was once owned by 
Henry Clay. He traded it to Commodore Rod- 
gers for an imported pedigreed jackass." 

**Hum!" sniffed Polly, "jackasses must have 
been rare in those days, but I think there were 
two in that deal, instead of one." 

Everybody laughed, but before there was time 
to make reply the carriage rolled into Pennsyl- 
vania Avenue and the Executive Mansion, dig- 
nified and grand in its stately simplicity, ap- 
peared in view. 

"Isn't it quiet?" was Gilbert's first com- 
ment. "It seems as though from the heart of 
the city we had suddenly been landed in some 
beautiful spot in the country." 

The doctor nodded. 

"Yes," he said, "many of these trees are 
centuries old. Now, would you children like to 
drive about the grounds before entering the 
building?" 

"Yes, indeed," answered Lillian. "T want 
Gilbert to see where we roll eggs on Easter 
Monday." 

Mike drove around to the rear of the mansion, 
and the little Washingtonians explained to the 



70 POLLY AND GILBEET 

visitor how once a year the children are allowed 
to gather by the thousands and litter up the 
beautiful green lawns of the White House with 
their highly colored Easter eggs, and listen to 
the music of the United States Marine Band, 
which at certain hours plays in the ellipse just 
south of the Executive grounds. 

* ^ Sometimes, ' ' said Lilly, *'the President, if 
he is not too busy, comes out on the porch and 
makes a speech to us children. *' 

* ^ Yes, ' ' nodded her father, * * everything is for 
the little folk on that day. The ^ grown ups ' are 
not even allowed across the portals unless they 
have a child accompanying them. For that 
reason many a fashionably dressed lady or gen- 
tleman is accosted a square from the grounds 
by a smuggy urchin and the eager information, 
*P11 git yer through de gates fur a dime.' Thus 
the elegant one, holding tight to the grimy little 
hand, is piloted, with scarcely a second glance 
from the guards, into the good time behind the 
great iron railing. There he is suddenly de- 
serted, for the 'friend in need' must hurry off to 
swell the amount in his ragged little jeans and 
play the *good Samaritan' to someone else. 
That great building to the east houses the 
United States Treasury Department. You will 
be interested in its Secret Service Division, 
where there is a collection of plates and dies 
used by counterfeiters, and a Rogues' Gallery, 
which contains the photographs of the most 




J 


i ' 


T »'. 


■ill 


51 

1 


' rn: : 


./fl 




i 




§r 


i i 




u 


li ' 



POLLY IN TEOUBLE 71 

noted criminals of this sort. On the main floor 
is the cash room, which is said to be the most 
costly room of its kind in the world. The cash- 
ier's office is at one end, and at the other end is 
the vault room. In the basement are the money- 
issuing rooms and destruction division. The 
redemption room, as Paul can tell you, does a 
good work also.'' 

**Yes," affirmed the boy. '*0n my last birth- 
day r>apa made me a -present of a five-doHar bill, 
which I thouirht I had put safely away. Imasfine 
my surprise when I went to s:et it to find it miss- 
ing. We searched ever;<.^where for it, but not 
until the clothes came home from the laundry 
and I felt a lump in one of the pockets of my 
duck trousers did T find it — a little piece of 
pulp. I thought its days of usefulness were 
over, but father came with me down here to the 
Treasury, and, if you will believe me, after pok- 
ing at the little wad and examining it through 
a glass, I had handed over to me a crisp new 
five-dollar bill, and was told by an expert ex- 
aminer to be more careful next time." 

**Look, Gil," cried Polly, pointing directly 
south of the White House. * ^ Do you know what 
that is?" 

**Yes; it is the Washington Monument." 

**We will go up in it when we finish with the 
White House," the doctor said. **It is open 
until four- thirty o'clock. This place is closed 



72 POLLY AND GILBERT 

to the public at two o'clock. So we had better 
get inside if we expect to see everything.'* 

*Must think/' said Gilbert, as the party was 
again driven around to the front of the Execu- 
tive Mansion, *Hhe man who is the head of this 
house was once a little boy like us, Paul." 

^^And stood no better chance of being leader 
of the land than you do, lad," finished the doc- 
tor. ^*With Paul it is different. He can never 
be President of the United States." 

Both bovs looked surprised. 

''Why, father?" asked Lillian. 

''Because he was born in Europe, daughter, 
and one of the requirements of our President 
is that he be a natural-born American citizen." 

"Don't worry about it, sister, dear. I shall 
be satisfied to be Gilbert's family physician 
when he is President of the United States, and 
the man who keeps his body strong, and mind 
clear, so that he will be in good shape to attend 
to his duties as he-^d of our nation," laughingly 
assured her brother. 

"Good enough, son." The doctor patted his 
boy on the head. "It would never do for all of 
our men to aspire to the same office ; but, chang- 
ins: the subject, can you tell Gilbert why this 
building is cabled the White House?" 

"Yes, sir. AA^ien the house was fired, in 1814, 
by the British nothing was left standing but the 
walls ; after being repaired it was found neces- 
sary to paint the stone white in order to hide 



POLLY IN TROUBLE 73 

the fire marks, and ever since that time it has 
bepn known as the White House.'' 

The party left the carriage at the pnblic en- 
trance, which is through a colonnade on the east, 
leading to the basement corridor. On the walls 
Gilbert noticed many handsome paintings of 
some of the mistresses of the White House, — all 
the work of famous artists. Specimens of his- 
toric Wliite House china, among which were 
Lincoln's punch bowl and a cup and saucer from 
which the beautiful Dolly Madison at one time 
drank her tea, were seen in glass cases near by. 

Following his friends up one of the broad 
stairways to the main floor of the building, the 
boy soon found himself in the great East Room, 
or State Parlor. He seemed suddenly abashed, 
and even uttered a low exclamation of alarm 
when Polly and Lillian, who were in the lead, 
stepped carelessly over its threshold on to the 
highly polished floor. 

**What is the trouble?" inquired Paul. 

Gilbert hesitated. 

**0h, nothing," he faltered. ''Only I feel a 
little out of place here — like a fish out of water, 
you know." 

*'You need not, lad," replied the doctor. 
''This beautiful place belongs to our Govern- 
ment, so, you see, we Americans all have a 
claim in it. Notice this richly decorated instru- 
ment," he continued, pointing to a handsome 
piano. "It was presented by a New York piano 



74 POLLY AND GILBERT 

firm, and was made at a cost of fifteen thousand 
dollars. What do you think of thatr' 

The boy vshrngged his shoulders. 

**I don't believe I would keep it if it were 
mine/' he said. 

*^Whyr' 

**Well, a cheaper one would do me, and I 
could put the rest of the money in a Wright's 
flying machine. ' ' 

**Have you seen the airship yet?" 

'*Yes; Walter and I were at Fort Myer when 
it sailed to Alexandria." 

^'That was the final test. The machine cov- 
ered ten miles in fourteen minutes and sixteen 
seconds." 

** Wasn't it twenty-five thousand dollars the 
United States paid for the aeroplane, father?" 
Paul asked. 

'*Yes, and a bonus in the thousands beside." 

**I am glad the inventors are Americans," 
said Gilbert. **It is so nice to have our own 
people do great things." 

"You are right, lad," replied the doctor, "but 
we must stop thinking of our gifted country- 
men and take in the sights about us. We have 
onlv three-quarters of an hour left in which to 
do it." 

As Dr. Rodkin had a pass, he was allowed to 
lead his little group from the East Room, the 
only one on the main floor open to the general 
public, into the other four handsome apartments 



POLLY IN TEOUBLE 75 

extending along the south front of the mansion. 
The Green Room Gilbert thought was beautiful, 
but when he passed from it into the Blue, or 
President 's Reception-Room, the walls of which 
are covered with rich blue corded silk, with win- 
dow hangings of blue, with golden stars shin- 
ing in the upper folds, the child began once 
more to move about on tip-toe. 

**That gold clock you see on the mantel,'' ex- 
plained the doctor, *'was a gift from Napoleon 
I. to Lafayette, who passed it on to Washington; 
the bronze vases on either side of it were pre- 
sented to our first President at the same time/' 

*asn't it all grand ?^' breathed the little 
stranger, scarcely above a whisper. *^It was 
so kind of you folks to invite Polly and me to 
come along to-day.'' 

*^The trip is made especially for your bene- 
fit,'* declared the doctor, who was enjoying the 
boy's enthusiasm as much as the little fellow 
was the sights he was seeing. 

In the Red Room there were many things to 
interest the children. The girls lingered near 
a cabinet of mahogany and gold, which held 
seven exquisitely dressed Japanese dolls. 

'^Aren't they darlings?" cried Polly, **and 
wouldn't you love to have one just like this little 
lady in pink?" 

The boys laughed at the girl's delight, but 
their attention was soon called to a portrait of 
George Washington. 



76 POLLY AND GILBEET 

**It is sometimes called tlie ^Lansdowne 
Stuart,' '' the doctor told them, ** because the 
original of which this is a copy was painted for 
the Marquis of Lansdowne. Another interest- 
ing fact about it is that in the year 1814, during 
the British invasion, Mrs. Dolly Madison, fear- 
ing the valuable painting might be destroyed, 
had it taken from its frame and carried across 
the Potomac into safety. And this,'' he con- 
tinued, leading the way to the next room, *4s 
the State Dining-Room. Its massive mahogany 
table will seat one hundred guests." 

^* Where are the girls T' asked Paul a few 
minutes later, when the three turned to leave 
the room. 

They looked about in astonishment, for both 
Lillian and Polly were nowhere to be seen. 

''Since I think of it," said Gilbert, ''I do not 
believe they were with us when we came in 
here." 

At that moment the doctor caught sight of his 
little daughter, flushed and excited, making her 
way hastily to him. 

''Oh, papa," she sobbed, in a frightened voice, 
"Polly's arrested!" 



CHAPTER VII 

GILBERT GETS ACQUAINTED WITH THE PRESIDENT 

The doctor and the boys followed Lillian back 
into the Red Room and over to the corner, where 
her friend sat demurely by the side of a big man 
in gray clothes. 

*^Is this your child f inquired the man. 

**The little girl is under my care," the physi- 
cian reyjlied. **What has happened?" 

*^You have not been paying much attention 
to her during the past ten minutes, have you?" 

*^I was not aware that the girls had become 
separated from the rest of the party until just 
before my daughter sought me in the next room. 
Be kind enough to tell me what is wrong." 

The doctor was becoming irritated, for the 
few other people in the room had commenced to 
get interested and were gazing at the group in 
bold suspicion. 

**I cauQ:ht her picking a lock," the man an- 
nounced 2:rimly. 

Instantly Polly was upon her feet, her eyes 
flashins: and face aflame. 

**It is not so, doctor," she cried. **Ask Lil- 
lian if it is/' 

77 



78 POLLY AND GILBERT 

But poor little Lilly was too frightened to 
answer. 

**Look at the lock on this cabinet. It tells 
the tale for itself.'' 

As he spoke the man pointed to the prison 
of the Japanese dolls. 

A horrible idea passed through Gilbert's 
mind. He had heard his cousin wish for one 
of the babies. What if she really had attempted 
to get possession of it! 

The culprit must have read the suspicion in 
his face, for she made her confession directly 
to him. 

**I was only going to turn one of the dolls 
around so I could see how its queer-looking 
dress was fastened," she admitted, in a low 
voice. '* Lillian wanted to know as much as I, 
and loaned me her glove buttoner to try and 
open the door with." 

^* There," cried the doctor, **I knew there was 
a mistake somewhere. The child did not realize 
the wrong she was doing." 

'*That may be," replied the man, who had 
quietly opened his coat, disclosing his police- 
man's badsre, **but the contents of that cabinet 
are valuable. Those dolls were presented to 
Mrs. Eoosevelt when she was mistress of the 
White House by the Japanese Minister. I shall 
be obliged to hold the young lady until the mat- 
ter can be investigated. ' ' 

The doctor was nonplused. 



WITH THE PRESIDENT 79 

Paul plucked at his sleeve. 

**Tell him who you are, father," he whis- 
pered. 

The gentleman took a card from his pocket 
and passed it on to the officer. 

** Perhaps you have heard the President men- 
tion my name, ' ' he said. * ^ I am one of his phy- 
sicians. ' ' 

The man hesitated a moment, then, shaking 
his head, motioned to a blue-coated guard. 

* ^ Do you know this party T ^ he inquired, hand- 
ing him the slip of paper. 

But the policeman did not. 

* * Then there is but one thing left to do. Pre- 
sent my card to the President and tell him it is 
important that I see him. ' ' 

**Did I hear my name mentioned?" asked a 
genial voice behind the excited little group. 

And all hands turned, suddenly to come face 
to face with the ^^ Leader of the Land." 

** Good-afternoon, doctor," he said, smilingly 
extending his hand. *^I was passing through 
the corridor and thought I recognized 
your " 

Doctor Rodkin caught the President by the 
arm before he could complete his sentence and, 
leading him to one side with less dignity than he 
would otherwise have done, soon explained the 
distressing situation. 

In the meantime Gilbert took the opportunity 



80 POLLY AND GILBERT 

to slip up to Polly ^s side and whisper in her 
ear: 

** Don't be afraid, Pol. Yon are the pluckiest 
girl I ever knew. I'll stick by you, and see you 
through. ' ' 

The two gentlemen stepped over to the cabi- 
net and examined its tiny gold fastenings. When 
the President looked up there was a twinkle in 
his eye. Resting his good-sized double chin on 
his chest he studied the little girl's downcast 
countenance. 

*' Picking a White House lock is rather a se- 
vere accusation to be brought against so small 
a maid," he at last said. Then seeing the dim- 
pled face before him flush a deeper red he con- 
tinued, *^But as this is the first offense, and I 
am sure one which will never be repeated, Dod, 
you may let the prisoner go." 

With a salute of his hand and a dignified bow 
the gentleman in gray withdrew. 

*'And now," suggested the President, ** sup- 
pose we forget the disagreeable part of our 
meeting and get acquainted." 

The children were duly introduced. Then 
the physician, placing his hand upon Gilbert's 
shoulder, said: 

**This young man, Mr. President, is visiting 
Washington for the first time. You would be 
surprised to hear how much he knows for a 
nine-year-old boy, and see how much American- 
ism there is in him." 



WITH THE PRESIDENT 81 

'*So, so!'' The great man took the boy by 
the hand. **It is a pleasure to meet you, lad,'* 
he said. *^Do you expect to be in our city this 
winter ? ' ' 

Gilbert was in an ecstasy of delight. He had 
never imagined the President of the United 
States anything but an august somebody with 
only time to notice those of the highest rank, 
and here he was talking as naturally as any 
plain, ordinary man could to a poor country 
boy who had never even been to the Capital City 
before in his life. 

''Yes, sir. I am to attend school here this 
term,'' he managed to get out. 

''Better still. Then you will have a chance to 
join the 'T. Y. A.'s.' " 

Both boys looked mystified. 

"Never heard of it?" questioned the host. 
"Well, here let me introduce you to your cap- 
tain. I shall give him your names as charter 
members as soon as he arrives in town." 

As he spoke the President took an envelope 
from his vest pocket and, selecting two buttons 
from it, pinned one on the coat of each lad. 

"Why, it's your son!" exclaimed Walter. 

"Good guess," chuckled the jovial leader of 
the land. "He is going to organize a company 
of 'True Young Americans,' and drill them 
himself. It is his own idea, and I think a wise 
one. Now we must shake hands all around and 
say good-by, for. although I have been back two 



82 POLLY AND GILBERT 

whole days from my summer vacation, there is 
still lots and lots of work piled up in the Execu- 
tive Office for the President to look over. ' ' 

The President withdrew, and the boys, in a 
heaven of delight, turned with the doctor to de- 
part for the Washington Monument.. 

As the party was being driven through the 
grounds to the monument Gilbert asked: 

*^Why is it that some of the guards at the 
White House have uniforms and others have 
notr' 

^'The ^ plain clothes men' are the President's 
guard. They are mixed in the crowd wherever 
he is,'' Paul replied. 

*^And since the assassination of our beloved 
President McKinley their force has been 
strengthened," put in the doctor. ^^They are 
to be found sprinkled all about the Executive 
Mansion, and especially in the vicinity where the 
President is likely to be." 

''As I found out to-day," said Polly mourn- 
fully. '*I am so sorry I disgraced you all. I 
would not have done it for anything ; but, really, 
I did not think I was doing any harm. ' ' 

' ' Never mind, little girl, ' ' the doctor returned 
in a sympathetic tone. ''The same thing might 
have occurred to anyone, and you have the con- 
solation of knowing that in all probability we 
would not have had the delightful visit we did 
had it not been for your episode. I will say, 
however," he continued, "were I in your place 



WITH THE PEESIDENT 83 

I would tell mamma all about it before I went to 
bed to-night, then, with the determination to be 
more thoughtful next time, forget it/^ 

^' Yes," said Paul, in a doleful voice, ^* * forget 
it.' '' 



CHAPTER VIII 

FROM THE TOP OF THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT 

The little party found upon reaching the 
monument they had fifteen minutes to wait for 
the elevator to make its three-thirty o'clock 
trip. 

**How often does the elevator go upf Gil- 
bert inquired. 

* * Every half hour, ' ' the doctor replied. * ' The 
first trip is at nine o'clock and the last at four. 
Come, let us go outside and look around a bit 
while we are waiting." 

** Isn't it immense?" commented Lillian. 

'*I should say so," Polly responded. ^*And 
yet mamma has told me that a cat once climbed 
to the top and jumped to the ground without 
beino: hurt." 

^'Nonsense, Pol," pooh-poohed her cousin. 
*^ Auntie must have been jesting." 

**No. young man, she is right. I remember 
the circumstances, ' ' affirmed Dr. Kodkin. ' ' The 
cat was a pet, and had been missing for three 
or four days. No one can account for the way 
it got into the monument without being noticed, 
nor where it stayed while in there. All we do 

84 



THE MONUMENT 85 

know is that one day it was seen to make the 
mighty jump and light upon its feet on the 
ground, where it started to run away; but be- 
fore it couid get its breath ^nd make off it was 
seized by a dog and torn to pieces.'' 

**0h, how dreadful. It ought to have had a 
tombstone erected," sighed Paul. 

^*I suppose when it jumped was its eighth 
life,'' explained Polly, ^^and when the dog 
pounced upon it was its ninth ; so, of course, the 
poor thing had to die." 

Gilbert looked up. 

**How tall did you say it was, doctor?" he 
asked. 

*' Which, the cat or the dog I" 

*^ Neither. I mean the monument," laughed 
the boy. 

*'0h, you do. AVell, the monument from floor 
of entrance to tip is five hundred and fifty-five 
feet, five and one-eighth inches in height. At 
the base its walls are fifteen feet in thickness, 
but taper u]) until they are only eighteen inches 
at the top of the shaft. It is the highest piece 
of masonry in the world, and in height is ex- 
ceeded only by the Eiffel Tower, Paris, which 
is of iron, and rises nine hundred and eighty- 
four feet." 

Here the elevator was announced, and Gilbert 
soon found himse'f , with a crowd of other people 
hustled into it, moving slowly upward. 



86 POLLY AND GILBEET 

** Wouldn't it be dreadful if the car should 
falir' he presently whispered to Paul. 

^ ' Can 't ! Father says the manufacturers over- 
haul it thoroughly every month, and the safety 
clutches are examined each day; besides, it is 
built in such a way that it could not fall even 
if both wire cables should break.'' 

^^You seem to know lots about it " 

**0h, yes, I've been up so often with friends, 
you see. But at first, until it was explained, I 
was a bit skittish myself about its tumbling. 
Say," continued the little Washingtonian, 
squeezing closer to his friend's side, "can you 
see the engraving on the stones as we pass?" 

Gilbert craned his neck. 

"Yes," he answered, "but don't seem able 
to read any of them." 

^ ^ Never mind, lad. You and I will walk down 
the steps and examine some of the inscrip- 
tions," promised the doctor. 

"How long before we reach the top!" was 
the boy's next question. 

"Fifteen minutes to ascend, a five-minute 
stay, and ten minutes to make the trip down, I 
think is the scheduled time," he was told. 

A few moments later the elevator door was 
pulled open and its occupants stepped out upon 
the upper landing, five hundred and four feet 
above the ground. 

"My!" exclaimed the little New Yorker, gaz- 
ing at the eight port-holes that pierce the walls, 



THE MONUMENT 87 

two on each side, * * I had no idea when I looked 
up awhile ago that these windows were so 
large." 

^'Let lis see if we can see our house, Gil," 
said Polly, gazing to the northeast. 

**You might if we had a field-glass," Paul 
replied. ^^On a clear day there is a twenty-mile 
view to be had from up here in all four direc- 
tions." 

'^Oh, don't the Capitol and Library look 
beautiful?" cried Gilbert. ''And what is that 
great white building with the tower and the 
American flag over there in the northeast ? " he 
questioned. 

''That/' answered the doctor, following the 
direction of the boy's finger, "is the United 
States Soldier's Home. Its seven hundred acres 
of cultivated land afford one of the handsomest 
drives about Washington. That odd-looking 
building you notice beyond the Home is the 
monastery of the Franciscan monks. This reli- 
gious order is one of the most self-denying be- 
longing to the Koman Catholic Church. Its 
monks live in poverty, wearing the coarsest kind 
of clothing, and spend their entire time in 
prayer and devotion. It is really very inter- 
esting to go through their home. They have 
on exhibition several articles that they claim 
existed during the time of Christ. There are 
also a true reproduction of the kitchen of Mary, 
the mother of Christ, Joseph's carpenter shop, 



88 POLLY AND GILBERT 

and an exhibit of the horrors of purgatory. 
One of the guides, a saintly-faced lad of about 
seventeen years, says he intends to join the 
order as soon as he is old enough. The gray 
building still farther east is 'Kendall Green,' 
the deaf and dumb asylum. It was named for 
its founder, Amos Kendall, President Jackson's 
Postmaster General. It is endowed to the 
amount of four hundred thousand dollars, and 
is the only institution of the same grade in the 
world. Away off there, almost directly in front 
of you, is the workhouse, the jail, and Wash- 
ington Asylum, a hospital for the pauper sick; 
the big red brick building next to it was the 
almshouse, but that has been moved across the 
river. ' ' 

''The insane asylum, 'St. Elizabeth,' is over 
there too," said Lillian. "Have you been 
through it, Polly?" 

"Yes, to my sorrow," was the reply, "and 
I made up my mind it would be my first and 
last trip there. An old man took it into his 
head that I was his long-lost Evelyn and tried 
his best to hug me. I went home and cried for 
an hour, thinking that perhaps Evelyn re- 
sembled her father, and that in that way I 
looked like a lunatic. Walter told me not to 
bother about my looks; as long as I didn't act 
like the old fellow, I was all right." 

"See here, lad." The doctor drew Gilbert to 
the west windows as he spoke. ' ' Over there on 



THE MONUMENT 89 

the Virginia side of the Potomac is Arlington, 
the National Cemetery, and to the northwest the 
Naval Observatory/* 

*'I intended to go to Arlington, but had not 
thought about the Observatory,'* said the boy. 

**I should think you would be immensely in- 
terested in its great equatorial telescope,** the 
gentleman answered. ^'It weighs over six tons 
and cost forty-seven thousand dollars.** 

^'My!** ejaculated the little fellow, '^it must 
be worth seeing.** 

*^lt is made of steel, in three sections, and 
has an object glass of twenty-six inches clear 
aperture. The instrument's position is regu- 
lated by water power, and it stands under an iron 
dome forty-five feet high. There is an electric 
conaection between the United States Navy De- 
partment and the Observatory, and exactly at 
noon the time ball drops from the Navy De- 
partment; from this is regulated the time all 
over the United States.** 

**The elevator is about to start down for its 
four o'clock crowd, father. Had I better take 
charo-e of the girls?** inquired Paul. 

*^Yes, son. Gilbert and I will follow afoot — 
that is, if he would rather walk down the nine 
hundred steps and read some of the inscrip- 
tions.** 

* ' Indeed I would, * * came the quick reply. 

And without a moment's hesitation the en- 



90 POLLY AND GILBEET 

thused boy started on his long trip back to 
mother earth. 

Of course they did not read the words on all 
of the hundred and seventy-nine stones which 
have been contributed from various sources as 
a mark of love and respect to the memory of 
our beloved first President, but they did jpause 
on each of the hundred and fifty landings, or 
platforms, and by means of the electric light 
with which the interior of the monument is 
lighted studied many of them, and noticed their 
elaborate carvings. When the foot was at last 
reached they found Paul and the girls waiting 
impatiently. 

*^You have been over half an hour, papa," 
complained Lillian. 

**And could have remained that much longer 
in there with this boy, daughter, had I the time 
to spare. I wish you could see his notebook. 
It is nearly filled already with items of what 
he has seen and heard in our city. I would not 
be a bit surprised one of these days to hear he 
had written a book entitled, ^My Trip to the 
Capital of the United States'; and, who knows, 
we all may be in it.*' 

'^Well, there is one incident I shall see he 
leaves out of his yarn," pouted Polly. 

To this remark no one made reply, but I am 
sure all hands understood, and sympathized 
with the speaker. 



CHAPTER IX 

AELINGTON 

^^Aunt Alice!" Gilbert caught the lady's 
hand. ^^I almost wish I had not come/' he 
whispered. 

*^Why, dear?'' inquired Mrs. Rae, in sur- 
prise. 

'^Because," faltered the little fellow, ^4t 
makes me feel so dreadfully sad to think of the 
many brave soldiers who are buried here." 

^^Yes," answered Walter, who had accom- 
panied his mother and cousin on their Sunday 
afternoon trip to the National Cemetery, *4t 
seems as though we cannot honor their memory 
too much when we remember they gave their 
lives that our country might live." 

*^I often wonder," said Mrs. Eae, *^if they 
can look down from heaven and see their last 
beautiful camping ground or the loving hands 
and loyal hearts that gather here by the thous- 
ands on Decoration Day to cover the graves with 
flowers and in many ways do reverence to our 
soldier dead. On that day every cemetery in 
the city is visited by a squad of veterans who 
work patiently on through the day, until the 

91 



92 POLLY AND GILBERT 

grave of every departed comrade is marked by 
an American flag and decorated with flowers.'* 

**Is there preaching here on Decoration 
DayT' Gilbert asked. 

**No, dear,'' Mrs. Eae replied, *^but there is 
a very impressive service for all those who 
have loved ones, friends, or comrades buried 
here. Come, now, let us go inside the mansion 
and register before taking our walk through 
the grounds." 

In the room to the left of the hall Gilbert 
found the immense book and wrote his name 
among thousands of others. On the walls he 
noticed hanging sketch plans of the cemetery; 
also copies of addresses by famous orators, all 
of whom had passed away. Among these, and 
the only one that the boy read through, was 
President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, d. 
livered November 19, 1863, at the dedication of 
the Gettysburg Cemetery: 

** Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers 
brought forth on this continent a new nation, 
conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the propo- 
sition that all men are created equal. Now we 
are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether 
that nation, or any nation so conceived and so 
dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a 
great battle-field of that war. We have come to 
dedicate a portion of that field as a final rest- 
ing-place for those who here gave their lives 



AELINGTON 93 

that that nation might live. It is altogether 
fitting and proper that we should do this. But, 
in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate — we can- 
not consecrate — we cannot hallow this ground. 
The brave men, living and dead, who struggled 
here have consecrated it far above our poor 
power to add or detract. The world will little 
note nor long remember what we say here, but 
it can never forget what they did here. It is 
for us, the living, rather, to be dedicated here to 
the unfinished work which they who fought here 
have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather 
for us to be here dedicated to the great task re- 
maining before us; that from these honored 
dead we take increased devotion to that cause 
to which they gave the last full measure of 
devotion ; that we here highly resolve that these 
dead shall not have died in vain; that this 
nation, under God, shall have a new birth of 
freedom; and that government of the people, 
by the people, for the people, shall not perish 
from the earth.'' 

Gilbert was glad to find when they left the 
mansion house that a party of noisy tourists 
who had so annoyed him were left behind. 

** Please, now,'' he said softly, ^^I would like 
to see the Tomb of the Unknown Dead. Mr. 
Tealman has told us about it, and said he wished 
all of his pupils could see it." 

*'It is heart-breaking," said Aunt Alice, as 



94 POLLY AND GILBERT 

a few minutes later they stood before the mas- 
sive granite block and read its inscription ; 

** Beneath this stone repose the bones of two 
thousand one hundred and eleven unknown sol- 
diers, gathered after the war from the fields of 
Bull Run and the route to the Rappahannock. 
Their remains could not be identified, but their 
names and deaths are recorded in the archives 
of their country, and its grateful citizens honor 
them as of their noble Army of Martyrs. May 
they rest in peace.'' 

*'I was over here several years ago/' con- 
tinued Mrs, Rae, ^^when the Confederate vet- 
erans decorated the graves of their dead. You 
know, there are over three hundred of their men 
buried here, and noticing a delegation leave the 
others and march off with their floral offering in 
another direction, I was inquisitive enough to 
follow. And ' ' — turning to her nephew — ' ' what 
do you think they did, dear?" 

Gilbert shook his head. 

**I can't imagine," he replied solemnly. 

'^With bared heads, while their bugler softly 
sounded Haps,' they laid it here above all that 
remains of some of their one-time enemies." 

**It must have made you feel sad, mother," 
said Walter. 

**It did," responded the lady. **I shall never 
forget it, for it showed, far plainer than words, 
what is a true soldier's spirit of forgiveness." 



ARLINGTON 95 

The three strolled slowly through the beau- 
tiful cemetery, looking here and there at first 
one and then another handsome shaft or slab 
erected by loving hands to the memory of their 
soldier dead. They were standing before the 
tall white monument which is a tribute of the 
Colonial Dames to the memory of the Spanish 
War victims, when suddenly from far away 
came the muffled sounds of music. 

*^ It is a funeral/^ exclaimed Walter; ^'a mili- 
tary funeral. You have never seen one, have 
you, Giir' 

**No,'' answered the boy, *^but I should like 
to.'' 

Nearer and nearer came the sad procession, 
passing the little group, who silently followed 
it on its winding way, and from a distance 
watched while heart-broken loved ones, com- 
rades of the Grand Army of the Republic and 
those of a Masonic Lodge, gathered about the 
new-made grave while the casket, draped in 
the American flag, was solemnly lowered into 
its last resting-place. All through the long and 
impressive ceremony of both organizations Gil- 
bert noticed that an escorting company of regu- 
lars stood like statues only a short distance 
away. He wondered how they could remain so 
motionless, and was somewhat startled when 
the services were ended to hear an officer's 
quick command: 

''Load! Ready! Aim! Fire!" 



96 POLLY AND GILBEET 

The order was repeated three times, and with 
each there rang out a sharp report from the 
soldiers* rifles. As the sound of the last volley- 
died away softly upon the summer air came the 
plaintive notes of a bugle. 

**Taps," whispered Walter. 

** Fours right! Forward! March!" 

It was all over, and the little New Yorker 
walked away between his aunt and cousin. As 
they were about leaving the grounds Gilbert 
noticed some writing on a bronze tablet just 
inside the cemetery gate. 

''What is it, aunty T' he asked. 

Mrs. Rae drew near and read in a low, though 
distinct voice the first two verses of Colonel 
Theodore O'Hara's famous poem, ''The Bi- 
vouac of the Dead": 

** 'The muffled drum's sad roll has beat 
The soldier's last tattoo; 
No more on life's parade shall meet 
That brave and fallen few. 

On fame's eternal camping-ground 

Their silent tents are spread, 
And Glory guards, with solemn round, 

The bivouac of the dead.' " 

For some minutes the boy remained silent, 
then the other two heard him remark to him- 
self: 

*'It is a grand thing to be President of the 
United States, but I believe — I believe I would 
rather be a soldier.'' 



CHAPTER X 

A SCARE IN ANACOSTIA 

As the days passed all were glad to notice 
that the little New Yorker was overcoming his 
homesickness, and after the Friday evening 
letter to mother, which he dutifully wrote each 
week, would return to the sitting-room without 
the usual red eyes and wistful expression. 

One morning as he sat on the railing of the 
back porch whittling a stick, Polly appeared 
around the corner of the house swinging her 
hat by its elastic, the way it was generally 
worn by her, as she danced along. 

**Do you want to go with me, GilT' she 
called. 

^^Wheref^' 

**Come out here where we will not be dis- 
turbed and 1*11 tell you,'' was the mysterious 
reply. 

The boy climbed down from his perch and fol- 
lowed his cousin to the woodshed step. 

**I am going to get lost,'' she announced. 

''Lost?" Gilbert looked puzzled. ''What 
for?" he asked. 

"Oh, I am tired of the old city," exclaimed 

97 



98 POLLY AND GILBEET 

the little girl. **And I am so warm I don't 
know what to do." She gave her curls a toss 
as she eoniinued : *'So I have made up my mind 
to take a long walk out into the country where 
there 're plenty of trees and dirt roads." 

'' Wouldn't it be just as nice to ask Peggie to 
t^ke us on a picnic to Lincoln Park?" the boy 
interrupted. 

*'No, never! I haven't been out of town since 
I was at your house two years ago, and I am 
just pining for the sight of a farmhouse and a 
nice cool drink of milk from the spring, and 
some homemade bread with jam on it like Aunt 
Eleanor used to give us. Don't you remember 
how good it tasted?" 

* ^ Guess I do. Mamma always kept blackberry 
jam on hand for me. But why must we be lost 
in order to get it?" 

*^ Because," Polly hesitated. ''Well, maybe 
we won 't if you have any money, ' ' she said. ' ' I 
haven't a cent, so my idea was to keep on walk- 
ing and turning into new roads until I really 
didn 't know the way back home ; then go up to 
the first farmhouse I came to and tell them I 
was lost. You know country people are always 
big-hearted, so of course the lady would say, 
^Poor little thing! I know you are hungry,' and 
set me down to a nice countrj^ dinner while her 
husband hitched up the buggy to bring me 
home." 

Gilbert laughed. 



ANACOSTIA 99 

**That is all very fine, but what if it does 
not happen the way you have planned and the 
woman should tell you after you have eaten 
your dinner to go out and milk the cows to pay 
for it, or feed the pigs, or something like thatf 
he asked. 

The little girl's face grew long. 

'*I hadn't thought of it that way,'' she ad- 
mitted. *'I would be in a fix, for I couldn't 
milk a cow if my life depended on it, but — here 
a bri2:ht thought struck her — ^^you can, can't 
you?" 

H^r cousin shook his head. 

'* Never did it in my life," he answered. '*I 
have seen the hired man about it, but believe I 
would rai^her pay for our dinner than have the 
job. Will fifty cents be enough? It is all I have 
left until I hear from pop." 

Polly clapped her hands. 

*'The greatest abimdance," she exclaimed. 
**We can ride over to Anacostia, buy our din- 
ner, and be back before grandma and Neddie 
get home from their all-day visit uptown." 

''Hadn't we better tell Peggie we are going? 
You know we were left in her care to-day." 

*'No," the girl replied stubbornly. ''She is 
sure {o object. Walter has gone fishing, and 
9ll the rest of them are having a good time. 
Even mamma has gotten off from office to at- 
tend missionary meeting at the church, and 



100 POLLY AND GILBERT 

there is no reason why we should not go as well 
as stay in this hot hole all the afternoon.'^ 

That settled it. The children took a car and 
rode over the great new Anacostia bridge, 
which is made of concrete and iron, and spans 
the eastern branch of the Potomac Piver. Some 
distance the other side of ^^St. Elizabeth,'' the 
Government hospital for the insane, they 
touched the electric button and got out. 

^^This is very much country,'' shouted Gil- 
bert, as they ran merrily down a shady lane 
leadino: into a forest. ^'We might be able to 
find a fern here for granda. I heard her say the 
other day she would like to have one." 

They searched for awhile, but, as there was 
no water near, found none. Tramping joyously 
on they came out of the woods into the high- 
way, and, spying a cornfield just across the 
road, were soon playing hide-and-seek among 
the tall green stalks. All at once the boy heard 
a scream, and Polly came running toward him. 

**0h, Gil!" she cried, her fat little face white 
with fright. She got no farther, for the next 
instant an ugly face leered at them through the 
waving^ corn. 

At first Gilbert thought the man was drunk, 
for his eyes looked so fierce and his mouth 
twitched in such an odd manner — just as if he 
were trying to talk, but could not. 

The girl clutched her cousin's arm. 

**0h, what shall we do?" she wailed. 



ANACOSTIA 101 

Then Polly whispered something in Gilbert's 
ear that caused his heart to flutter. 

The next moment there flashed through his 
mind a speech he remembered hearing the doc- 
tor make when his mother was most ill. 

* * Never cross her, ' ' he had instructed. ^ * Agree 
with her, no matter how foolish it may seem to 
do so. In nervous and mind troubles the patient 
must be humored.'' So — 

*^Good morning," the lad ventured, with a 
sickly smile. 

At sound of the voice the man crouched. 

** Cease your clatter," he commanded. 
** Don't you see that the enemy has surrounded 
us. We shall all meet in paradise within an 
hour. I am too weary to fight any longer." 

A bright idea struck the boy. 

**You rest," he said, "while we go out and 
meet the foe." 

The lunatic looked grateful. 

"Brave knight," he whispered, "I will in- 
trust with you my magic sword." 

And to the children's horror and surprise 
he reached under his coat and drew forth a 
long sharp carving knife, which Gilbert was 
glad to get in his own hand. 

"Now, Pol," he whispered, grasping the girl 
by her wrist, "run, run for your life before he 
finds we are false to him." 

And run they did — their feet fairly flew over 
the hard, uneven ground. Scarcely had they 



102 POLLY AND GILBERT 

climbed through the barbed-wire fence when 
they detected the sound of approaching wheels 
and a light wagon appeared around a bend in 
the road. 

* * Take us in, take us in, oh, please take us in ! ' ' 
they both screamed together as thej rushed 
toward the vehicle. 

The driver drew up with a jerk. 

'* What's the trouble, youngsters?' ' he called. 

Without answering Polly clambered into the 
ba<?k of the wagon, but Gilbert held up the knife. 

**W"e have just disarmed a crazy man," he 
panted, *'and are afraid he is after us." 

^^Good heavens!" ejaculated a blue-coated, 
brass-buttoned man; and jumping to the ground 
he quickly relieved the holder of his savage 
weapon. 

**How in thunder do you reckon he got this?'* 
he inquired of his companion, who had sprung 
to his side. 

'^Ran by the kitchen as lie made his escape, I 
suppose, but don't stop to ask questions. Pitch 
it up to Jack and come on. We may miss him 
yet," was the hurried rejoinder. *' Which way 
did you say he went!" The speaker turned to 
the frightened pair. 

They gave the directions as well as they could, 
then climbed up on the seat by the driver to 
await the return of the insane asylum attend- 
ants with their prisoner. 

**You needn't be afraid now," the man con- 



ANACOSTIA 103 

soled. '*The next time you kids see him he'll 
be in a straitjacket, bagged up to his head, poor 
fellow! Let me tell you something, lad.'* The 
man placed his hand upon Gilbert's shoulder. 
*^I've known that man since he was about your 
age, and a smarter, brighter chap our country 
never had; but he got to fooling with racing, 
betting on horses, and losing heavily. That led 
him to whisky and opium, and together they all 
brought him to where you see him to-day. 
There's no one cares two cents for him except 
his poor old mother, and even she is afraid to 
have him around." 

**Will he never be well again?" asked the 
boy. 

^^I am afraid not, although the doctors say if 
they can keep him from whisky two years he 
will be safe that way ; it is the other habit that is 
hard to get control of. Listen!" he broke off. 
^^ They've got him. Here they come." 

And so they were, carrying their burden be- 
tween them. At first glance Polly thousrht the 
man was wrapped in a cloth, but when he had 
been laid full-length in the body of the wagon 
she saw that he was in a heavy bag, which was 
tied under his chin. 

Going: home one of the attendants changed 
places with the driver and tried to divert the 
minds of the children by asking them all kinds 
of questions about themselves — ^Who were they? 
Where did they live ? What were they doing so 



104 POLLY AND GILBERT 

far from home ? He laughed heartily when told 
the true state of affairs. 

**And you didn't get your *real country milk,' 
after all,'' he said. **Well, you shall have it, 
and a ^real country' dinner, besides. Just come 
up to the hospital with me." 

But the runaways politely declined the invi- 
tation. In fact, they did not feel entirely out 
of danger until the street cars had landed them 
safely home, and in granda's and mamma's 
arms their awful tale was told. 

The next day Mrs. Eae read aloud an account 
in the newspaper of how two "Washington chil- 
dren, Polly Rae and Gilbert Thompson, while 
in Anacostia in search of *'real country milk," 
had captured and disarmed an escaped lunatic, 
one of the most dangerous inmates of St. Eliza- 
beth. 

*'Just to think," grandma said, in a tremb- 
linor voice, ^^vou both might have been slashed to 
death." 

Gilbert was silent, but Polly replied with a 
thoughtful little face: 

*' Isn't it strange how the Lord protects some 
children in their nau2fhtiness ! " 



CHAPTEE XI 

IN THE NAVY YAKD AND UNCLE SAM's MONEY 
FACTORY 

Mrs. Eae, who was always the first one down 
to breakfast, smiled next morning when she 
found a note under her plate. 

*^Eead it out loud, mother," she said. ^^You 
see it is addressed to both of us." 

So the old lady took the paper and read : 

* * Dear Granda and Aunt Alice : 

*'I am sorry I ran away yesterday, and prom- 
ise never to do such a wicked thing again. 
*^ Please try to forgive me. 

**Your loving grandson, and nephew, 

* ' Gilbert Rollins Thompson. * ' 

**Dear boy, he is such a conscientious little 
fellow," declared grandma. ^'Who could help 
loving him?" 

**He is without doubt the best child I ever 
knew," the daughter replied. *'I know yes- 
terday's trip was all Polly's doings, and feel 

105 



106 POLLY AND GILBERT 

that she should be punished for it; and yef — 
she paused and looked hopefully at her mother 
— **I do not believe that that jaunt was planned 
through sheer naughtiness, do youT* 

The old lady shook her head emjjhatically. 

'^I certainly do not/' she answered. *^It was 
just as the child admitted. She was warm and 
disgusted with the hot old town and longed for 
a sight of the country. If I had been home she 
would have asked my permission. As it is, it is 
my opinion she has already received ample pun- 
ishment in the fearful scare that lunatic gave 
her. It must have been awful to come face to 
face with him all alone. I fear for the conse- 
quences even now.'' 

Grandma's words proved true. The next 
three weeks Polly spent in bed, so ill that part 
of the time Ned's bouquets of buttercups and 
clovers remained unnoticed by the little patient, 
whose curly head tossed upon the pillow in wild- 
est delirium for days. When at last, pale and 
emaciated, she was able to join the family once 
more, it was to find herself unceremoniously 
packed off to spend a fortnight with one of her 
mamma's friends in Virginia in order to re- 
cuperate. 

In the meantime Gilbert continued his sight- 
seeing with Walter. Together they visited the 
Navy Yard and were shown through the gun 
shops, and watched at the gate of the testing- 
pool, where the speed of every battle-ship and 



NAVY YARD AND MINT 107 

torpedo boat to be made by the United States 
Government is tested. This is done by means 
of a model of the ship's hull, which is con- 
structed for the purpose. Chief among the 
other relics, and one that the boy examined with 
interest, was the "Long Tom.'' The old forty- 
two pound, cast-iron gun, now over a hundred 
and twenty-four years old, belonged originally 
to France, but was captured by the British dur- 
ing the French invasion of Ireland in the year 
1798, and bought by America. When condemned 
by the United States it was sold to Hayti, to be- 
come the enemy of its first master, France. In 
America once more the old gun did good work, 
forming one of the battery of the armed brig 
General Armstrong^ when off Fayal, one of the 
Azores, single-handed the battle-ship engaged 
in a fight with three ships of the British squad- 
ron, and so disabled the fleet that it failed to 
reach its destination, New Orleans, in time for 
the great fight when Jackson won the day. In 
order to save her from the enemy the Arm- 
strong was sunk ; but the Portuguese recovered 
the Long Tom and presented it to the United 
States. Now, its fighting days over, it rests 
peacefully on its wooden frame by the side of 
one of the main avenues of the United States 
Navy Yard. 

The boys walked among and examined many 
other old guns, which are arran2:ed in a circle 
in front of the Commandant's office. Near the 



108 POLLY AND GILBERT 

Museum, which contains a collection of relics 
and naval equipments, Walter pointed out a 
beautiful weeping willow tree that was grown 
from a slip taken from one of the trees over 
Napoleon's grave at St. Helena. 

After leaving the Navy Yard the lads took a 
car which landed them near the Bureau of En- 
graving and Printing, a branch of the United 
States Treasury, where Gilbert watched in 
amazement the printing of the United States 
bonds and national currency. From room to 
room he followed, close by the side of the guide, 
listening with interest while she explained the 
different stages of money making. 

**I should think, '* he ventured, as he watched 
the expert counters who give the final count to 
the valuable piles of greenbacks before they are 
carried over to the United States Treasury, 
^Hhat it would be a very great temptation to 
these people to help themselves to a few bills 
when there are so many stacked about. Surely 
they would never be missed.'' 

The guide shook her head. 

*'No, my man," she answered. *^ There are 
one thousand four hundred employees in this 
Bureau, and each piece of work goes through 
the hands of thirty different people ; at the clos- 
ing hour if the counts do not tally, or a note is 
lost, the doors are locked and no one allowed 
to leave the building until it is accounted for. 
There have been times when employees have 



NAVY YARD AND MINT 109 

stolen from the Government, but it is more than 
risky to do so, as the thief is always run down 
by Uncle Sam's secret service men, — though it 
sometimes takes years to do it, — and is sooner 
or later brought to justice. However, the temp- 
tation is not so great here as in the Treasury 
Department, as, before the money is ready for 
circulation, it must be sent there for the signa- 
ture of the United States Treasurer and final 
seal of the Registrar, which last office, by the 
way, is held by a negro, and has been since the 
term of B. K. Bruce, who was appointed under 
President Garfield." 

On their way home Walter told his cousin an 
interesting tale of an old colored woman who 
until recently was a trusted employee of the 
United States Treasury Department. 

** Years ago,'' he said, **she was appointed 
messenger in the Treasurer's Office of the 
Treasury Department, and while cleaning the 
room after office hours one afternoon she came 
UT^on a packasre of bills, all readv for circulation, 
lying carelessly on the floor under one of the 
desks. Instead of being overjoyed with her rich 
find and hiding it about her person, as many 
another would h^ve done, the poor creature was 
scared nearly to de^^th. She was afraid to start 
out of the room with it for fear one of the watch- 
men might accuse her of stealing, nor could she 
run the risk of leaving it for one less honest 
than herself to find. For awhile she was in a 



110 POLLY AND GILBEET 

quandary, until she hit upon the plan of sitting 
on it, which she did. All night she remained 
there, and the next morning when the clerks 
came in at nine o'clock there they found her 
patiently holding down her treasure." 

*^Was she rewarded for her honesty T' Gil- 
bert asked. 

**0h, yes, her position was made lifelong in 
the Treasurer's office, where she served faith- 
fully, respected by all, until she died, a few 
years ago. 

** Here's another case," continued the boy. 
^*In the redemption division, where old bills are 
cut and pieced out, a nice little woman, liked 
and respected by all her fellow-clerks, was 
cauQfht stealing. No one even suspected her 
until she sent her son off to one of the leading 
colleges and began buying up real estate and 
riding to office in a carriage instead of on a 
street car. Then the Department began a still 
hunt, but not until the net was all about her 
did she confess that for years she had been 
stealing pieces of notes and pasting them to- 
gether." 

**0h, how dreadful the son must have felt!" 
gasped the horror-stricken listener. 

Walter shrugged his shoulders. 

**I don't suppose he ever knew of it," he 
said. *^It was found out in time to save the 
woman from the penitentiary. She was simply 
dismissed, and the matter hushed up. But I 



NAVY YARD AND MINT 111 

can tell you of another case where the culprit 
was less fortunate. He was a naval officer, and 
when the detectives went to his home to make 
the arrest they were met at the door by his 
daughter, who asked that they allow her father 
time to finish his bath. They politely consented, 
and while they waited for their prisoner in the 
parlor he was making his escape through the 
back way.'' 

*^Was he ever caught T' 

*'0h, yes ; but not for a long time. You know 
when Uncle Sam really wants you, you might 
as well give up, for he never will. He keeps 
up a still hunt until he has 'bagged his bird.' 
Years later news came that the man, under an 
assumed name, was keeping a second-hand book 
store in another city. Officers in citizen's clothes 
went in, and after innocently examining some 
books on a shelf, one of them suddenly slapped 
the fellow on the back, at the same time calling 
him by his right name. It took the man so by 
surprise that he collapsed right there, and was 
brought back to serve a long term in the peni- 
tentiary." 

The little New Yorker was silent for a long 
time. Finally: 

^'I believe I would rather be a farmer than a 
Government clerk,." he said thoughtfully. 

*SSo wouM I — on such a farm as your father 
has; but Washington isn't such a bad place in 
which to live. No other city in the United 



112 POLLY AND GILBEET 

States has its broad, clean streets, its beauti- 
ful shade trees and many parks. Just wait until 
Polly gets back next week and we visit the * Sol- 
diers ' Home ' ; then you will see that Uncle Sam 
is loyal to his own when they are to him. ' ' 



CHAPTEE XII 



There was not a happier home in Washington 
than that of our friends on Capitol Hill when 
Polly, with rosy cheeks and sparkling eyes, 
came bouncing in one afternoon. Walter and 
Gilbert went to the depot to meet her, but the 
little girl skipped into the house a half a square 
ahead of them. 

^*I tried to have her return to the fold as a 
young miss should,'' laughed the big brother, 
*^but there is too much of the frolicsome lamb 
in her. When we reached the corner there was 
no holding her back.'' 

Mrs. Eae embraced the little girl, then held 
her off at arms' length. 

^^ Darling," she said, ^^I am so glad you have 
come back to us your own robust self." 

^^ Thanks to *real country milk,' " was Polly's 
roguish reply. 

Ned was delighted to have ^^Tister" home 
again. He danced about and seemed bursting 
with anxiety to tell her something. 

**Now mind, young sir," cautioned Walter, 
*'no * merry widow' cone of ice cream for you 

113 



114 POLLY AND GILBERT 



if yon let the cat out of the bag.'' 

*'0h, speaking of bags reminds me/' cried 
Polly. "Mrs. Palmer said she put a box of 
country good things and a dozen nice, fresh 
eggs in my suit case. ' ' 

"Eggs !" yelled Walter. "Why in the world 
didn't you tell me sooner, sis? I am afraid 
everything in the valise is turned to gold by this 
time." 

Polly began to cry. 

"Never mind, dear," consoled grandma. 
"They are all wash clothes, and a little soap 
and water will soon bring the stains out." 

"It isn't that," whimpered the child, "but all 
the good country eating is spoiled, and I wanted 
you people to get a taste so much." 

"It is all right, Pol," shouted Gilbert, from 
the hall. "Everything else is floating in a sea 
of yellow, but the lunch is packed in a tin box. 
We will eat, drink, and be merry, after all." 

"We had better save it for to-morrow," sug- 
gested Walter. "It will make a fine pic " 

He slapped his hand over his mouth just in 
time. 

"I am going to bet a treat around that our 
secret will not keep until to-morrow," Mrs. Eae 
laughingly announced, as she spread out the 
soda biscuits, fried chicken, and chocolate cake 
Mrs. Palmer had sent. 

But it did. for the next morning when Lillian 
and Paul Rodkin drove up in a large spring 



THE SOLDIERS' HOME 115 

wagon, and Polly was told that all hands were 
going on a picnic to the United States Soldiers' 
Home Grounds, there was not a more astonished 
nor delisfhted little girl anywhere. 

Lillian told her friends what a time her father 
had had to get the permit. 

* * The Governor of the Home wonld not issue 
it until papa promised that his party would 
clean up all the dirt they made, and not break 
a branch nor a flower," she said. 

'*The trouble is this," Paul told them. *^The 
inmates of the Home do all of the work on the 
place and keep it in perfect condition, so of 
course it would be discouraging to them to have 
a lot of picnickers come out and litter up the 
grounds in which they take so much pride." 

"Are you sure there are no women domestics 
there, Paul?" asked Mrs. Rae. 

'*I know the only women employed are the 
nurses in the hospital, and they are Eoman 
Catholic Sisters. I heard the Governor tell 
father when we went to get the permit, that the 
only hirpd men were for the work done on the 
farm and in the dairy, and th^t the Home prizes 
a medal it was awarded for having the most 
sanitary and strictly up-to-date dairy." 

Just then the wa<ron entered the grounds 
throus-h the main carriacreway, and soon the 
children were romping about on the grass and 
playinor h^e-and-^eek amono: the shrubbery. 
An old soldier, sitting contentedly with his pipe 



116 POLLY AND GILBERT 

on one of the benches, appeared highly amused 
at the antics of the young people. 

*^You run, sonny boy, and invite the gentle- 
man to our picnic dinner/' Mrs. Rae said to 
Neddie, when the contents of Peg's basket had 
been spread out on the grass. 

Smiling like a pleased child, the old army 
veteran joined the merry little group, and, being 
an interesting talker, soon had the entire party 
listening attentively to tales of his fighting days 
before, as he termed it, he had been set aside 
for his country to look after. 

**But,'' he admitted, thoughtfully rubbing the 
palms of his hands together, *'we worthless old 
fellows have a mighty pleasant time here, thanks 
to our friend and comrade, the late General 
Winfie^d Scott.'' 

''What did he have to do with it?" asked Gil- 
bert eagerly. 

*'The Home was founded at his suggestion 
by an act of Consrress, with the pillage money 
taken during the Mexican War," was the old 
man's reply. *'I can tell you quite an interest- 
ins: story about it if you care to listen," he 
added. 

Of course all hands were anxious for him to 
commence, which he presently did. 

*'It was this way," he began. ''When the 
American Army, under General Winfield Scott, 
was besieQ:ing the City of Mexico a detachment 
of our forces overtook the fleeing Emperor and 



THE SOLDIERS' HOME 117 

a number of his high officials, and captured not 
only them, but a large amount of pillage money, 
including the strong-box containing several hun- 
dred thousand dollars of Mexican treasure. 
When the money was turned over to the United 
States Government it was found that Congress 
would not accept it, as it was considered bounty 
and pillage money as a result of conquest. Then 
it was our friend, General Scott, came forward 
and suggested that the money be used to estab- 
lish a national home for soldiers of the regular 
army. His advice was taken, and this the re- 
sult.'' As lie finished speaking the old veteran 
arose stiffly and waved a hand toward the sev- 
eral magnificent structures about him. ^'Our 
principal building is named, in memory of the 
General, the 'Scott Building.' " 

''Do all of these different houses have 
names?" Polly inquired. 

"Oh, yes. The others are the Sherman, the 
Sheridan, the Anderson, and King buildings," 
the old man informed them. "The one you see 
just going up over there," — he pointed to an 
immense white marble structure nearing com- 
pletion, — "is the new dormitory and mess hall; 
when finished and furnished it will have cost 
two miPion dollars, and be considered the best 
equipped dininof-room in the country." 

"I should think it would, at that price," said 
grandma, rubbing up her gold spectacles that 



118 POLLY AND GILBERT 

she might see the better this wonderful piece of 
workmanship. 

^*How is the Home supported T' Walter in- 
quired. 

The veteran chuckled. 

** There used to be a tax upon the pay of every 
regular soldier, but as we now have more than 
four million dollars, for which the United States 
Government pays three per cent, interest, that 
has been done away with, and only money from 
court-martials and other extraordinary sources 
from the regular army comes to us. Now, I 
reckon you would like to look through some of 
our buildings, wouldn't you?' ^ 

A chorus of ^'Yes," '^Yes indeed," and ** De- 
lighted," greeted this proposition. So leaving 
instructions with Jim, the grinning negro 
driver, to pick up every scrap of paper and crust 
of bread when he had finished his lunch, the 
party trooped off with their new-found friend. 

** First let me tell you," said the guide, *' there 
are seven hundred acres of land out here; and 
the valuation of our property exceeds ten mil- 
lion dollars." 

**Is it possible?" exclaimed Paul. ^^How 
many inmates are there, sir?" 

** Guests, if you please," corrected the old 
man. *^We never call ourselves inmates." 

*^I beg your pardon," the boy apologized, '^I 
didn't mean to offend you." 

** That's all right, young man. You didn't 



THE SOLDIERS' HOME 119 

know, but will next time. Tliere are twelve hun- 
dred names on the roll, but only about one 
thousand of the boys are here all the time. You 
smile when I say 'boys,' but really that is what 
we are, and will always be to each other. And, '' 
— the old soldier shook his head sadly, — ''when 
you think about it, I guess you will find the term 
not far from right, for many of us are in, or 
nearing, the second childhood mark.'' 

In one building the party looked out of a win- 
dow and saw about eight or ten blue-coated vet- 
erans busily shelling green peas. They ap- 
peared to be enjoying themselves immensely, 
?nd upon seeing the amusement of the visitors 
jokingly invited the girls to come down and 
assist them in their job. They answered that 
they would love to some other day, but time was 
too precious just then. 

** Don't forget the spook's castle, Rodgers," 
called one old gray-headed "boy," as the little 
group moved off. 

I won't, comrade," was the shouted reply. 

I am saving the best for the last, you know." 






CHAPTER XIII 

THE SPECIAL DELIVERY LETTER 

After a thorough tour of all of the buildings 
and a peep in the door of the handsome little 
opera house, where the soldiers are often enter- 
tained with vaudeville, music, or a theatrical 
performance. Captain Rodgers led the way to 
what was the original farmhouse. 

^'This,'^ he said, ^4s what some call the 
'Spook's Castle.' I admit it very ungracious of 
them, and am sure that you will consider the 
work it contains most beautiful and wonderfully 
wrought. ' ' 

The children, thoroughly awed and mystified 
by the old gentleman's words, hung timidly be- 
hind the two ladies when they were ushered into 
the building, but when they found with what it 
was filled there were expressions of delight and 
surprise from all hands. 

'*It is an art gallery," exclaimed Mrs. Rae. 

'*I don't see the sense of calling it * Spook's 
Castle,' " blurted out Gilbert. 

**No, no more than saying the Corcoran Art 
Gallery is Ghost's Hall," put in Paul. 

120 



A SPECIAL LETTER 121 

**Wait a bit, youngsters,'' cautioned the cap- 
tain. ^'Whi'e you are enjoying the pictures I 
will tell you something that will astonish you. 
These paintings, four hundred in all, are the 

work of one of my comrades. Captain 

— — , who was once a Confederate captain, but 
later joined the Union Army. The strangest 
part of the story is this. The artist, who is a 
great spiritualist, did not begin to paint until 
after he was sixty years old. He declares the 
work is not his, but that of his spirit friends, 
who used his hands for their own pleasure.'' 

^^ Maybe his mind is alfected," suggested 
Grandma. 

Captain Eodi^ers shook his head. 

*^I cannot bring myself to think so," he re- 
plied slowly. ''He seems to be as clear-minded 
as any of us. What strikes us all as being 
queer, is, the painting is done during the night 
in a dark room."* 

''Mercy!" whispered Lillian, sidling up close 
to Paul. "I don't like it very much in here, 
brother. Let us get out." 

Everybody laughed, but after the party 
passed out into the sunshine once more all of 
its members felt more or less awed by the weird 
tale they had just heard. 

♦The history of the gallery was told the writer by a soldier 
of Intel igence and integrity, who for a number of years was 
a guest of the Home.| 



122 POLLY AND GILBERT 

As Gilbert was anxious to hear the Soldiers' 
Home Band concert, which was to take place 
about four o'clock, it was quite late in the after- 
noon when our friends climbed into the wagon 
for the homeward trip. Their acquaintance of 
the day rode with them to the gate, and had 
Jim stop at a certain turn in the road in order 
that the visitors might enjoy the *' Capitol 
Vista.'' Through a long, well-trimmed forest 
vista may be seen the great, white structure 
fully three miles away. 

**I hope Peg will have supper ready when 
we get there," Polly exclaimed, '^for I feel as 
if I haven't had anything to eat to-day." 

**I am astonished, sis," teased Walter, ** after 
the picnic lunch you ate." 

**You forget, brother mine, that I have just 
returned from the country, where there are no 
Government clerks to regulate the two-meal-a- 
day system. I am hungry down to my toes, 
and am not ashamed to tell it," laughingly ad- 
mitted the little girl. 

When the wagon at last stopped in front of 
the Rae home, and the '^Capitol Hill" folk had 
bidden their ** uptown" friends good-by, Polly 
found awaiting them something of far greater 
imriortance than supper. It even took all appe- 
tite from the small-sized maiden and caused her 
to sob herself to sleep that night when she went 
to bed. 

Not so with Gilbert, though. The house could 



A SPECIAL LETTER 123 

hardly hold him when he heard the good news. 
His mother's health was so greatly improved 
that it was decided she could return home, where 
once more her boy could be with her. His 
father was coming to Washington the follow- 
ing Saturday, to thank the relatives in person 
for the interest they had taken in his little son 
and accompany him home to mother, who, the 
letter stated, was counting the days until she 
could once again have her boy in her arms. 

**Ah done feel som' missgibens 'bout dat 
'special liberty letter, kause deys in generally 
de befo '-runners ob some bad news; but Ah 
sure am glad Ah don' misscaculate dis oncest," 
declared Peg, her honest black face wreathed 
in smiles for the jubilant boy and eyes filled 
with tears of thankfulness for the sick mother 
made well again. 



CHAPTEE XIV 

GOOD-BYS 

The next few days were busy ones, indeed. 
There were good-bys to be said and a number 
of places yet to be visited, besides an eclipse of 
the moon to get up in the night to watch and a 
leper's camp to gaze upon from a distance. 

A whole day was spent at the National Zoolo- 
gical Park among the animals and birds. Polly 
nearly had hysterics when they entered the 
monkey house and one of the funny little fel- 
lows tried his best to stretch a long hairy arm 
out of his grated cage far enough to shake 
hands with Walter. And when they went down 
to the bear cave Mrs. Rae showed them where 
she and her sister Eleanor, Gilbert's mamma, 
used to wade in Bock Creek when they were 
little girls. 

Polly had asked if they could not go in the 
water a little while, and mamma had given her 
consent; even Neddie's pantaloons were rolled 
up high above the knees and he allowed to 
paddle out into the stream, so Walter could 
take a group picture of the three with his pocket 
camera as a souvenir for Gilbert to take back to 
New York with him. 

124 




< : 



GOOD-BYS 125 

Tlien there were the Smithsonian Institute, 
the National Museum, and the Fish Commission 
to go tlirough. True, the Medical Museum is 
among the group, but after Walter had named 
over a few of the horrible things it contains, 
such as sawed-off limbs, diseased bones, and 
deformed bodies, Gilbert decided he would 
prefer to skip it. 

The Agriculture Department is just west of 
the Smithsonian Institute, and, as the little boy- 
declared it was right in his father \s line of busi- 
ness, his cousin took him through its museum, 
and really was surprised himself at the inter- 
esting display of agricultural products to be 
seen there. The boys left Mr. Thompson's 
name and address for garden seed, and Walter 
gave his own for fancy grass seed, which he 
said he intended to plant in the back yard if 
Polly and Ned could be kept otf of it long 
enough for it to take root and grow. 

Friday evening, after Peg had cleared the 
dishes from the table and the family gathered 
around it to chat and play games, all agreed 
that the little New Yorker had seen about all 
the sights the Capital City contains, and that 
his Washino^ton kin had enjoyed his visit as 
much as he had himself. 

The next afternoon Mr. Thompson arrived. 
Gilbert thouo:ht he seemed taller and thinner 
than when he last saw him, but 

* ^ Oh, daddy, ' ' he cried, after a hearty kiss and 



126 POLLY AND GILBERT 

hug, **yoii are so good to look at, and I'm so 
glad to see you!'' 

With much urging Uncle Jack was persuaded 
to remain until Tuesday, in order that two very 
historic places, the house in which Lincoln died 
and the Francis Scott Key mansion, which it 
was discovered at the last minute had been over- 
looked in the sight-seeing, might be visited. 

The brick house on Tenth Street, across from 
Ford's old Opera House, is a plain-faced, three 
story and basement dwelling, which no one 
wouM give a second glance toward were it not 
for the placard above the parlor window and 
sign over the basement entrance that tell it to 
be the house in which our martyred President 
Lincoln passed away. In it Gilbert saw the 
Bible in which Lincoln wrote his name in boy- 
hood; a stand made from logs of the house in 
which he lived in 1832; a log split by Lincoln 
and John Hanks in 1830; the hat worn r)y the 
President on the night of April 14, 1865; the 
cliair occupied by him in the theater when he 
was so cruelly assassinated, and many other 
articles held sacred as belonging to our beloved 
Lincoln and his family. 

At the corner Mr. Thompson and his party 
boarded a Georgetown car, which soon landed 
them at the house once occupied by Francis 
Scott Key. the author of our famous **Star 
SpauQ^led Banner." Polly, the only one not 
familiar with the history of the thrilling story, 




THE HOME OF FKAM i .s SCOTT KEY 
Facing Page 126 



GOOD-BYS 127 

listened attentively while her uncle told how 
Mr. Francis Scott Key, September 13, 1814, 
under the most thrilling and trying circum- 
stances, watched from a British vessel the at- 
tack upon Fort McHenry, the chief defense of 
the city of Baltimore. Sent to the squadron in 
order to effect the release of a friend who was 
held prisoner by the British, Mr. Key had been 
placed in a small vessel and detained until the 
attack was over. All day he watched anxiously, 
and when night came on restlessly paced the 
deck peering through the gloom and smoke, 
waiting for a gleam from a bursting shell to 
show him whether the flag of his country was 
still waving. 

**Just imagine how he felt,'* exclaimed Gil- 
bert, *'when morning came and he saw our ban- 
ner still floating out on the breeze and heard 
the cheers coming from the fort.'' 

**That," replied his father, ^*may easily be 
done by reading Mr. Key's beautiful poem, 
*The Star-Spangled Banner,' which has become 
national." 

**By the way, son, have you been to Cabin 
John Bridge?" inquired the gentleman on the 
way home. 

*^Yes, when I first came. Walter says it is 
claimed to be the longest single span of masonry 
in the world. And, oh, pop, he showed me 
where Jefferson Davis' name had been erased 
from one side of the bridge after the Civil War, 



128 POLLY AND GILBERT 

and just put back a few years ago by order of 
the Secretary of War.'' 

**I can tell you of an occurrence which to me 
was of far greater importance than that, my 
boy, that took place on that old stone bridge. I 
will tell you all about it when we get to the 
house," Mr. Thompson answered musingly. 

That evening just as the family were leaving 
the dinner table Polly remembered the promise. 

^^Oh, uncle," she cried, "you have not told 
us your Cabin John Bridge tale." 

*^That is so," admitted Uncle Jack, pulling 
his little niece down upon his lap. "A long 
time ago," he said, "when your aunt Eleanor 
and I were young I took her for a drive, and 
just as we were crossing Cabin John Bridge I 
chanced to peep out of the corner of my eye at 
her, and she looked so sweet in her pink mull 
dress, with a tiny rosebud in her hair, that I 
could not resist the temptation to steal my arm 
slyly about her waist," — Mr. Thompson hugged 
Polly close to him for illustration, — "and whis- 
per something in her ear." 

"I know, I know what you said." shouted a 
chorus of voices. "You asked her to be your 
wife. ' ' 

"Ho!" chuckled the tale-teller, "that wasn't 
the important part, though. ' ' 

"And she said yes," squealed the little girl. 



GOOD-BYS 129 

giving liim a hearty smack on the cheek. ' * She 
showed her sense, too." 

Jumping up, Uncle Jack danced Polly about 
the room, then clapping her hat on her head 
declared : 

**Pol has earned an ice cream treat for all 
hands, so I guess she and I had better go and 
order it right away. By the way, Gilbert, if 
Aunt Alice and grandma have no objections, 
what do you say about me telephoning up and 
inviting the Eodkin children down this evening? 
They have been so kind to you I believe I should 
like to know them." 

Of course there were no objections, so the 
message was duly sent from the nearest drug 
store, and joyfully accepted from the other end 
of the phone. 

Walter and Gilbert hurriedly hung Japanese 
lanterns in the grape arbor, while Mrs. Rae and 
Peggie brought out the company dishes and set 
the table under the arbor. Everything was in 
readiness when the automobile steamed up and 
Lillian and Paul stepped out. Imagine the de- 
light and surprise, however, when it was found 
that their parents had accompanied them. 

**We couldn't help coming," apologized the 
doctor. *'We have taken such a fancy to your 
boy, Mr. Thompson, we felt like we must get 
acquainted with his father also." 

It was after ten o'clock when the friends 
separated, Gilbert giving a parting injunction 



130 POLLY AND GILBERT 

to Paul not to forget to tell the captain of the 
''T. Y. A.'s*' he was sorry at not being able to 
join his company. 

We will not dwell upon the good-bys spoken, 
nor the tears shed, when our little friend started 
next morning on his homeward trip, happy with 
the thought that soon he was to see and be with 
the dear mother, but sad at heart to think of 
the many dear ones he was leaving behind. Suf- 
fice it is to say that when Uncle Jack bade Polly 
good-by he put a parcel in the little girPs hand. 

* * Something to help you not to miss this val- 
uable cousin of yours," he whispered. 

It turned out to be a book of beautiful fairy 
tales, which Polly and Neddie both spent many 
enjoyable hours listening to grandma read 
aloud. 



THE EISD 



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HECKMAN 

BINDERY INC. 

^^ AUG 89 

N. MANCHESTER, 
Sfe^ INDIANA 46962 



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